Catching a Shinobi
by Jan Lee
Summary: NOVEL. Everyone said it was an old wives' tale. It was just a scare tactic to keep shinobi within their own ranks. Until Kiba unwittingly discovered some truths about the village Konoha. A coming-of-age story, Kiba-centric, Kiba/Ino/OC
1. First Date

**Disclaimer: **No. I don't own Naruto.

**Rating: M**. I had at first started writing this as a 'T' rating, but then I just couldn't help myself, so the first couple chapters are 'T'. Rating is for limited sexual violence, sexual acts, language and adult themes.

**A/N:** Well. I had this crazy theory pop into my head, and I just couldn't shake it off. The story is slightly more dramatic than I like to write, but all the sexual tension more than makes up for it. This is a fic to be enjoyed and not to be taken seriously at all. Trust me. Don't take it seriously.

Thanks to of815 for your reactions and commentary that help make this story from a boy's perspective. Thanks also to kaotic312 who actually inspired this little fic in a small way.

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**Catching a Shinobi**

**I. First Date**

**Kiba had decided **he needed a girlfriend. Shikamaru had Temari; Naruto had Sakura; even Shino had a girl he was seeing. Jealous that _these_ guys were able to obtain status as a boyfriend, Kiba had thought, if they can do it, so could he.

However, it wasn't _only_ jealousy that convinced him. Kiba had been anxious about getting a chance at kissing and making out since…well, since he'd discovered girls had fascinating anatomy.

Okay, who was he kidding? Girls had boobs, and _those,_ he was interested in.

Within the same minute, he had decided he wouldn't date kunoichi. Most of them, except Hinata, had high-and-mighty attitudes, corrosive tempers, and gave out cryptic suggestions and signals. Chilling, unnerving puzzles every one of them.

That day, he had set his sights on the non-shinobi community and had come across a pretty little thing by the name of Nakamura Yukari.

Yukari was at that moment clinging to the inside of his elbow. Her feminine hand on his arm made him feel very manly. He thought he'd done a decent job of preventing awkward pauses in conversation, chewing with his mouth closed, and being an overall gentleman.

A slight breeze shifted through the late spring leaves and wrapped a light lilac scent around his head. When he'd first smelled that fragrance, he'd been entranced by it and had followed his nose to where Yukari had been sitting.

Of course Yukari had been shy when he had first come to call on her, and he'd been pleasantly surprised when she said yes to a date without much convincing.

"It's nice being outside." Her quiet comment broke him from his thoughts.

"Hmm. It is."

"Dinner was wonderful, Kiba," she said.

Kiba glanced down at her, took in her short, dark hair and small frame. Even standing in heels, Yukari stood only as tall as his shoulders. Her size seemed to reflect her nature- -a touch skittish, soft and gentle. Kind of like a mouse. A _cute_ mouse.

He wanted to kiss her but worried he would scare her away.

"Glad you think so," he replied as he guided her along the sidewalk. "You sure yer okay with me walking you home?"

Yukari glanced up. Her large eyes, small mouth, and heart-shaped face made her look elfish. "Oh, yes. Thank you. I don't like to be alone after dark."

And dark it was. Daylight had faded to night, and even though the streetlights were on, they cast dim, hazy light at best.

He heard her take a small breath, and how fitting, he thought, because _everything_ about her was small. "I-is Akamaru okay back there?"

She was kind to think of his companion, who followed at a safe distance. "He's good…just giving us our privacy."

"Oh. Um. So-o," and he could tell she was searching for something to talk about, "um, do you have any missions coming up?"

Kiba considered how to answer her. It was obvious she'd never been around a shinobi before- -the way she kept her head down and her careful questions about his profession were both examples of her uncertainty.

"Hn. Most times I have to apply for an assignment…with…my…" he trailed off when he realized the breeze carried the scent of blood. When he stopped in his tracks, Yukari followed suit and stepped closer to him.

Kiba squinted, using his clan-enhanced vision to examine their surroundings. The street they were on was deserted; a couple of alley cats dug through a trashcan up a block. Where was that scent coming from?

Yukari tightened her fingers on his arm. "W-what is it?"

His nose gathered more information, and he grimaced when he identified the sickly-sweet scent.

"Kiba?" Her voice rose barely above a whisper, and her scent thickened with fear as she shivered.

He opened his mouth to say, 'I smell blood', but just then a figure materialized out of the distorted shadows cast by the yellow streetlights.

"Who's that," Yukari gasped.

Kiba couldn't help the low growl. "It's Yamanaka Ino."

Yukari took another breath, trembling against him. He felt like telling her Ino was harmless, but the kunoichi had stumbled closer and Kiba didn't know if he could get away with that insult.

Ino could seriously mess him up if she wanted with that scary mind-jutsu, but it seemed she hadn't seen him and his date. And small wonder, as her eyes were fixated on the ground like she would lose sight of it.

As she approached, Kiba gave her a good once-over.

To put it simply, the Yamanaka princess looked like she'd stumbled out of hell. Her blonde hair had escaped out of the normally sleek ponytail, filth covered her clothes, and bruises and scratches marred her skin. She favored her right ankle as she hobbled along.

A hand pressed against a wound on her stomach- -it smelled like it was heavily bleeding. Ah, he thought, that's what I smelled.

Yukari spoke up, her voice wavering with anxiety. "S-she looks really hurt. Should we…should we help her?"

At Yukari's soft question, Ino's head snapped up. Her eyes narrowed in a fierce glare and she halted, reaching out to the nearest wall. She eased her hip against the stone, then a shoulder, leaning gingerly.

Kiba bared his teeth at her glare; they sized each other up for a long moment.

He broke the cold silence first. "Yamanaka."

"Inuzuka."

Another long, uncomfortable pause ensued in which they stared at each other. He really wished Ino would leave already. He didn't want her needling him in front of a girl he liked, but knowing _her, _she had probably thought of a dozen ways to embarrass him.

"Well?" Ino demanded, in her typical snobby attitude. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

The hell?

She wanted an introduction to Yukari?

His village girl fidgeted, and he looked down to see her smiling at the Yamanaka bitch. That was all kinds of bad, since he didn't want Yukari to _like _Ino.

"I'm Nakamura Yukari. A pleasure to meet you," and she bowed.

Based on Ino's raised brows, Yukari had surprised her somewhat.

"Yamanaka Ino," Ino replied and stunned Kiba when she bowed back. She continued, glancing from Kiba to Yukari. "I went to the Ninja Academy with Kiba."

Was she…was she humoring him? He couldn't speak for the shock.

"Ah," Yukari said, "so you're a part of the Rookie Nine, ne?"

Ino's smile was genuine. "Yes."

Her smile faltered when her knees suddenly buckled. She folded in on herself and grunted when she hit the cement. Blood pooled out at a nauseating speed.

Yukari squeaked. "Oh, no! Miss Ino!"

He'd thought something was wrong with her and now his fears were confirmed. Kiba growled as he drew away from Yukari to attend to Ino.

When he touched Ino to roll her to her side, she felt cold. Her head lolled as he supported her neck and back to sit her up.

In this close proximity, Ino's pasty skin shone pale as the moon. Kiba realized she must have been about dead on her feet. Her lack of urgency- -why hadn't she _said _she needed to get to the hospital?- -pissed him off.

"Yer bleedin' out, you stupid princess!"

Ino struggled weakly. "I'm fine, just…fine…" and she went limp in his arms.

"Shit." He looked over his shoulder at Yukari, standing helplessly by herself. "We've got a problem here. I gotta take this idiot to the hospital. I'm sorry for cutting out like this. Akamaru?" His nin-dog had already approached Yukari. "You'll be taking Yukari home," he looked at Yukari, "I hope that's okay."

His date's hands fluttered up to her mouth and then down to her elbows. She didn't look pleased, but he couldn't help that Ino was _dying_.

"That's okay, Kiba," Yukari finally said. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Bye."

Guess he wasn't getting that kiss.

Kiba vaulted up to the roofs and busted ass to the hospital. Ino remained unmoving the entire way, but he could tell she was alive from her quiet groaning. Even though he never got along with her, he still felt obligated to take care of an injured comrade; he still felt anxious about whether she lived or died.

When the med-nins started poking and squeezing, he stayed in the waiting room, bugging anyone in white that walked by about Ino. He only left when the head nurse let him step into her room to check on her. It pained him to see how small and frail she looked all bandaged up, her steady heartbeat echoed by a bleeping heart monitor.

That steady bleeping stayed in his head, keeping him up most of the night, but the next day about mid-morning, Kiba entered the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. He wanted to visit Yukari and apologize for the sudden way their evening ended.

And get that kiss he was gypped out of last night.

Although he didn't like the Yamanaka clan in general- -prissy, arrogant blondes- -they had the best quality and selection of flowers in Konoha. It was only natural that he'd choose this flower shop over all the rest.

Bells jangled when he entered, and a door from the back swung open almost immediately. Light blonde hair and a very feminine form appeared.

Shit. He did not have time for- -

"Welcome to-" Ino's face fell in the middle of her greeting him. She scowled. "What're _you _doing here?"

His shoulders tensed, and he answered defensively. "Lookin' for a damn toothbrush. And what the hell're _you _doin' here?"

Her hand rested on her hip, and he noticed she wore a dumpy apron but still managed to come across sexy and regal.

She rolled her eyes. "Dipshit. I _work _here!"

"I know that," he growled, aggravated by her very presence. "I'm askin' why yer workin' when you were just in the hospital last night!"

"I don't see why that's any of your business."

"It _is_ when I saved yer ass!"

The backdoor opened again, and who should come out but Yamanaka Inoichi. He looked slightly agitated.

"What's going on here?"

"Great," Kiba muttered as Inoichi came to stand beside Ino, father and daughter almost mirror images of each other. He really did not have time for this…or the patience.

Inoichi looked at Kiba, then to his daughter, and Kiba thought Inoichi had done a good job of keeping his face neutral, which was a miracle because Inoichi could be a vindictive asshole when he wanted to be, and he usually wanted to be towards Inuzukas.

Ino didn't hesitate. "He's _harassing _me, Daddy!"

Inoichi raised his eyebrows and gazed levelly at Kiba. Kiba took a calming breath and concentrated on keeping his voice steady.

"I just came for some flowers"- -a meaningful snarl at Ino- -"and since_ you_ ruined my date, you oughta be grateful I stopped by."

"I didn't 'ruin your date'. You were walking her home!"

"How do you know?"

"Tch. Like you would take a girl like that out at nine-thirty at night."

"That's enough." Inoichi rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Ino, what happened _exactly_?"

Oh, no, Kiba thought. Inoichi would _never _believe Kiba after Ino was through- -this was just the kind of opportunity she needed to twist the truth to her favor.

"I had to take Ino to the hospital," he interjected. "I was walking with my date, and Ino came down the same way. She wound up fainting from blood loss. The doctor said she was lucky. Had she been by herself, she might've died."

In the silence that followed, Inoichi's jaw dropped. Kiba could see he hadn't expected that explanation. Ino glared daggers at Kiba, and he could practically see the dark storm clouds forming over her head.

"Is that true?" Inoichi asked of his daughter.

Ino pursed her lips, looking like she would argue, but thought better of it. Her shoulders slumped. "Yeah."

"You're going home to rest," Inoichi said firmly. His patience with his daughter amazed Kiba. "You shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"Daddy, really! I'm just sore-"

"Don't argue. You could be dead if not for the Inuzuka boy!" Inoichi's voice became muffled as he guided Ino through the backdoor, and Kiba's ears were good enough to hear the conversation continue.

"I can still-"

"Not another word. You are to march home and go to bed. I'll be sending word to your mother to watch you, so don't get any ideas."

A cry of pain, then a quiet thud- -a body hitting something solid, a strangled noise of shock.

Concern had Kiba slamming through the backdoor.

A large room with coolers, metal tables, and plenty of flower parts scattered around greeted him, and he saw a door at the far back. Another door on the left of the work-room was ajar; through this opening, Kiba saw an office area.

On the floor near the office, he found Inoichi kneeling and holding his daughter, gently stroking her hair. Ino had lost color, and her eyes were screwed shut. The older Yamanaka murmured the way Kiba's mother had when her son had hurt himself when he was younger.

Kiba's throat felt strangely constricted. "What happened? Is she okay?"

Inoichi glanced up and nodded. He answered as he withdrew a small vial from an inner pocket of his overcoat. "She fainted. I know you and she don't get along, but will you take her home?"

Inoichi uncorked the vial and waved it under Ino's nose, while Kiba considered how to answer Inoichi's question. The Yamanaka residence was out of his way, and he _still _hadn't purchased flowers for Yukari. So that would mean getting Ino home, coming back, and _then _going to Yukari's.

Kiba had one word for that: hassle.

Inoichi looked at him, eyebrows knitted. "I will give you whatever you want out of the shop for free."

That was one way to sweeten the deal. But were free flowers for Yukari worth the effort of dealing with a pissed-off Ino?

Ino groaned, stirring enough to push aside her father's hand. She muttered something that sounded like, "I hate that smell."

He couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Okay. I'll take her home," Kiba said. "Write a note, so I'm not attacked when I knock on yer door."

The last time he'd dealt with Mrs. Yamanaka was when Akamaru had been a puppy gleefully digging holes in a freshly planted flower garden. That experience had not turned out well for anyone.

"Very well. And thank you." Inoichi helped Ino to sit against a wall. He made sure she was all right then swept into the office and sat at the desk. Over the sound of slamming drawers, Kiba heard him mumbling to himself.

A groan from Ino drew Kiba's attention. She had a hand pressed to her forehead. He stepped closer, feeling a little like he was approaching an ornery bear, and knelt at her side.

"You feeling okay?"

Ino nodded. "Yeah. Just…a little dizzy."

"Yer still recovering," Kiba said. "Why didn't you stay home?"

Her hand flopped to her lap, like she didn't have the energy to hold it up. She didn't look at him when she answered softly. "It's complicated."

Kiba didn't know what to say to that, so he kept silent. The silence broke when his stomach growled.

Geez- -it was lunchtime _already_? By the time he got Ino home, claimed the flowers for Yukari and gave them to her, he would miss lunch hours completely. Maybe he could ask Yukari out for a late lunch or early dinner…

Over his stomach, his heart fluttered a little. A second date so soon? Would that be too fast for Yukari?

"Thinking about your little bird?"

Ino's question broke him from his thoughts. "Hunh?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing."

The screech of Inoichi's chair across the floor tile interrupted them. He strode out of the office and handed Kiba a neatly folded letter.

"Here, give this to my wife. I appreciate your help, Inuzuka," Inoichi said. Kiba nodded, not wanting to lie by saying 'No problem'.

When Inoichi and Kiba reached down to help up Ino, she batted away their hands.

"I can get up myself," she snapped, and proved it by hoisting herself up with help from a table. She crossed her arms. "See?"

Kiba glanced at Inoichi to see his response. Her father rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned over to kiss her forehead. He whispered something in her ear that Kiba couldn't catch. Then Inoichi guided her to the backdoor, and Kiba trailed behind feeling extremely uncomfortable about the whole situation.

"Yes, Daddy," Ino said, sounding resigned. "I will."

Inoichi smiled while kissing her forehead again and turned to Kiba. "Play nice, Inuzuka."

Then before Kiba could respond, Inoichi went back to the office and shut the door.

Wary, Kiba stood back to watch Ino. She would probably shake off his hand or make a snide remark if he touched her. And he wanted to avoid butting heads with her since she was probably in a funk and feeling moody.

She tossed her apron over a hook near the door, and Kiba noticed she wore civilian clothing, not her usual shinobi attire. When she stepped out into the sunlight, her hair and skin glowed. The difference between her pale, deathly state last night and this moment, when she looked so alive, touched something inside him.

He couldn't help but think of her as an angel, but his heart stuttered and interrupted his thoughts. The stuttering was far more noticeable than the light flutter he'd felt thinking about Yukari. Kiba wasn't quite sure what that meant.

The princess glanced over her shoulder, caught him staring, and tilted her head. Their eyes remained locked together as he waited for her to say something mean and bitchy, but after a moment she dropped her gaze.

That was a surprise.

He heard her mumble, "What're you waiting for?" as she ducked her head.

Kiba gave himself a mental shove and drew up next to her, still slightly surprised she hadn't confronted him about his staring, and together they started down the street.

As they traveled, Kiba found he could not think of anything else besides how close Ino walked next to him (the heat from her body radiated to his), how she smelled like the flowers from her shop and vanilla, how the breeze that came up behind them played with her hair.

Occasionally their hands would brush, and it was at those times Kiba had trouble breathing. His voice would have probably cracked if they'd been talking, but thankfully, they walked without conversation.

The silence was amicable, though, as they had not exchanged a heated volley of insults and raised voices. The lack of bickering made Kiba think that Ino really wasn't feeling well and that it might be a good idea to boost her mood a little. Normally he could think of something complimentary to say to a down-trodden female, but Ino was not a regular female.

So.

How should he go about saying something positive and nice to a girl he'd made a pointed effort to _avoid _niceties with?

Girl? thought his hormonal (and appreciative) male consciousness, Far from it.

He couldn't help the peripheral once-over he gave her, eyes gliding along her soft curves from cleavage to hip to legs.

In his distraction, he tripped over a cracked piece of sidewalk.

"Sonava-!" and face-planted on a low-hanging sign. The metal sign clanged, as though telling him off for being lecherous, and rewarded him with a sore spot on his forehead.

Kiba rubbed the spot with his palm. It didn't help that Ino couldn't breathe for laughing at him so hard.

Her laughter made him feel good, while at the same time annoyed him.

"Shut up."

Ino just laughed, wiping her eyes.

He growled a warning. "_Ino_."

"…sorry…" she gasped after a moment. "That was funny!"

"Yeah, yeah." It wasn't _that _funny. "Let's just get you home already."

"Don't be grouchy," she said lightly, taking his hand in hers. "I've done the same thing."

His mind short-circuited with the contact. Her fingers were slender, and her hand fit perfectly in his. He felt the bones and knuckles in those prim hands, and the rough spots that were her calluses.

She started walking again and he trailed after her like a little kid. A threatening panic attack constricted his lungs. Now he had to keep his mind from Ino's hands…and where he wanted them on him and where he wanted _his _hands on her.

Not good.

He'd heard rumors that Ino had developed somewhat of a telepathic ability; he prayed they were just rumors. No doubt she would clobber him if he kept thinking about her in that way.

They resumed the walk to her home and made it to her front door without further incident. When Ino released his hand, Kiba sighed in relief and stepped back as she barged into the house.

"MOM! Mom, I'm ho-ome!"

Silence answered her call, and Ino disappeared inside. Kiba hung back, unsure if this territory was safe- -his forehead was already sore from the damn sign, and he'd hate for it to meet a frying pan…again.

He wondered if maybe he should yell 'Goodbye!' and get the hell outta there. He wanted to get the apology to Yukari over with today, but…he was _so _hungry. I could always go over to Yukari's tomorrow, he thought, and calculated how much time he had left for lunch at the ramen stand.

Ino came into view at the end of the hallway, and she gestured to him. "You're letting in flies."

Cautiously, Kiba stepped forward into the cool foyer, closing the door behind him. Ino had already kicked off her shoes, so Kiba worked the laces on his boots, waiting for a banshee wail and pottery to fly at his head.

None came, but Ino arrived to lean on the wall beside him, a square of paper between her fingers.

She twirled her hair as she read. "She left a note. She's with some of her friends…until later this afternoon. Guess that leaves us to our own devices," then she reached over to tap the end of his nose. "Follow me."

Kiba's mind screeched to a halt at this flirtatious gesture. Ino, _Yamanaka Ino_, had flirted with _him_!

Staring after her departing figure- -trying not to check out her ass, but failing- -Kiba considered the possibility that she was toying with him. But every cell in his body screamed 'FLIRTING!' with all the force they could muster.

And did her hips have an extra little sashay?

Ino paused to shoot him a gaze- -sultry, he thought- -and a smirk. "You coming?"

She continued out of sight around the corner.

Kiba could swear he smelled smoke from the heat of her look; he had certainly broken out in a sweat from it.

But why did he feel like he was walking into a trap?

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**A/N:** _Complications, _is up next. See you then!


	2. Complications

**A/N: **Welcome back, friends! Things heat up a little in this chapter. Thank you to all those who have shown an interest in this story. Your kind comments are very much appreciated. Thanks to darkewulf for beta'ing these first chapters, and again, thanks to of815 for giving such good commentary and kaotic312 for the much-needed inspiration. Please, enjoy!

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**II: Complications**

Nervously, Kiba stepped down the dim hallway, his bare feet silent on the cool tile. He heard Ino rummaging around in what he thought to be the kitchen- -a clatter, the squeak of a cabinet, and the smell of various meats and vegetables all clues to what she was doing.

His stomach rumbled, and Kiba knew he wouldn't be leaving if she was making him lunch. Around the corner, he found Ino doing exactly that. She smiled at him and turned to open the refrigerator door.

"Think fast!"

Out of nowhere, a package flew at him. "What the-?"

Fast reflexes saved him- -his hand snapped out and caught a package of some sort. He stared at it in his hand, registered 'Bob's Frozen Peas,' and could not quite comprehend what this meant.

Kiba glanced at Ino and watched her mouth twist as she answered. "For your forehead."

"I knew that," Kiba muttered.

He pressed the improvised cold pack against his head, advancing to the kitchen area and hopping on a bar stool to watch Ino. She artfully folded lunch meat into squares, layering them on a bed of lettuce, and she addressed him without looking.

"So tell me about Yukari."

That sounded like a suspiciously causal question, coming from her. "Why?"

"She seems like a nice girl. I was wondering if she was."

He said nothing. Was Ino just being polite? Or was she being nosey? Before he could come to a decision, she continued. "You don't have to talk about her if it makes you uncomfortable."

For an unknown reason, he felt irritation at her dismissive comment. "No, it's fine. She's quiet and kind…laughs easily. But she was nervous around me. And…you know…just…"

"Conservative?" Ino supplied. Then, "You want ice?"

"Yes. Please," he added when Ino shot him a look. "Conservative? _That's_ what you think of her?"

He watched Ino flex and stretch for glasses in the cabinet, but dropped his gaze when he caught himself staring at her hips and breasts again. His thoughts seemed to stray irrationally to her…and he wondered why he suddenly found her attractive when he hadn't before when they bickered. He traced the tiles on the countertop with his fingers to keep his mind distracted from Ino's body and listened as she opened the refrigerator door.

Ice clinked in the glasses. "It's because you're used to a shinobi's personality. Unafraid, motivated, passionate…" she trailed off, and the fridge door slapped shut. "It'll be quite an adjustment if you choose to pursue her."

That was a curious thing to say. Kiba narrowed his eyes at Ino, but her back was turned to him.

"If I choose to pursue her? It's not like that…not…not serious."

Ino turned and shrugged her shoulders, as she gestured vaguely. "What if _she_ wants to be serious?"

"I'm just casually seeing her," Kiba said, feeling defensive suddenly. "And why is this so important anyway?"

"All I'm saying is that you don't know her. She may…have different ideas about the path of your relationship."

Kiba's nostrils flared. Ino sounded neutral, but he smelled her emotions writhing inside her- -a heady combination of anxiety, jealousy, and excitement. It attracted him, but at the same time jumbled up his own chemistry and made his own emotions swirl violently.

Her emotions had never been so clear to him before…had she been using a jutsu to prevent him from sensing her emotions previously? If that was the case, her weakened condition would prevent her from using that jutsu currently.

When she set the glass of juice and the perfectly made sandwich in front of him, he caught her wrist by pure instinct. A fine line appeared between her brows, and he watched as her jaw set.

Kiba got to the point. "What's going on?"

Now that he thought of it, she hadn't been mean or bitchy to him this entire time, and she was feeding him and letting him grasp her wrist.

He had to give her credit; she kept her gaze level, but her flushed cheeks were a dead giveaway to her inner turmoil.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing," he answered her. "Why aren't we arguing like we usually do? Why are you…doing all these weird things?

She snorted in disbelief. "Weird things?"

"Yes. _Weird things_…like…like," he used his free hand to gesture to the lunch and to the hand connected to her arm, "_this_. What's going on?"

As Kiba slid off the stool and came around the counter, his heart pounded against his chest. He gripped her wrist loosely- -but he still felt her quickened pulse. The knowledge that he'd caused her heart to beat faster, in addition to her powerful scent, slowed his thoughts and made him feel reckless.

She seemed frozen in place. "Kiba…"

His instinct clicked on- -the part that inexplicably knew what to do in situations when he wasn't thinking, just acting- -and when Kiba's arms enclosed Ino and drew her close, he surprised himself.

He repeated his question. "What's going on?"

"Kiba," she whispered again, breathlessly. She continued as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so stupid. So very stupid."

Kiba's hand ran up her spine to her nape; he felt the knobs, and the clasp of her bra through the material of her shirt. Moisture broke out under his arms and in the small of his back.

"Why?" His voice was hoarse, his throat desert-dry.

Ino made a noise that sounded like a cross between a sigh and a groan. She shifted against him, those lovely, womanly parts he so admired pressing closer. He couldn't swallow or _breathe _for that matter.

"I think," she said in a soft voice, "that I've always been mean to you because I've liked you. And when I saw you with Yukari," she paused to nuzzle his neck, and everything inside him took a deep, anticipatory breath, "I realized that was the wrong way to go about things."

There was no hope for his poor brain, because right then, at that moment, Ino smelled like the confidence a predator had when slinking through the jungle seeking her next meal- -all rippling muscles, sleek coat and feminine wiles. The scent reached into his dysfunctional brain and gripped it by the shirtfront…and wasn't letting go.

Her hands wandered from his back to his chest to undo the zipper on his jacket. All his synapses misfired when Ino's clever hands swooped under his mesh shirt, toying with his ribs and abdomen. She had effectively rooted him to the spot, as immobile as a damn rabbit waiting in a paralyzed trance.

Her mouth found his jaw line and trailed a line of butterfly kisses there. Closer and closer her lips came to his. All his attention zeroed in on where her kisses landed- -_there _and _there, _and, oh, yeah, _there_- -and it was impossible to do anything else.

When she rubbed her mouth against his, the world as he knew it spun out of control.

Kiba had read a few of his sister's trashy romance novels when he'd been bored out of his mind, and the 'she tasted exactly the way she smelled' line seemed extremely accurate.

Then…then she parted her lips, and Kiba stumbled into nirvana.

The few adjectives that came to him- -soft, warm, delicious- -seemed completely inadequate. The feeling- -the consuming, searing heat that ripped though him- -was nothing like he'd expected. Not even those romance books could have prepared him for _this._

Pages out of every dirty magazine he'd ever read flipped through his mind, and he felt a desire to do those naughty things with Ino. A whispering, pushing urge had him wanting more, to slake a thirst for an animal side he'd never experienced before.

When control slipped from him- -the rational side losing control to the animal side- -Kiba let loose a deep, possessive growl and nipped at her throat. She gasped, and in her surprise she tripped backwards. Together they sprawled on the kitchen floor. Unbidden, his hand glided up her toned thigh, under the ridiculously short hem of her skirt, and brushed the edge of lace.

Ino moaned, then guided his mouth back to hers. He felt her fingers dig into his hair. A very primal need twisted in his stomach and places below, and it felt _so_ _good_, and yet so very _wrong_. Everything he wanted was at his fingertips, but his conscience came squirming back, shaking a disapproving head at how he was behaving.

The front door's slamming brought them back to reality with crashing suddenness, and they stilled instantly. Both held their breath as they looked at each other, startled like skittish animals. Tension pulsed in the air as someone shuffled around in the foyer.

Kiba had enough time to wonder what the hell had just happened before he realized it was her mother he smelled. This is bad, he thought as panic constricted his lungs, really, really bad!

"Ino, darling, I'm home!" Mrs. Yamanaka called from the entrance. "Oh! We have a guest?"

Her mother's voice seemed to spur Ino into action and she roughly shoved him off, hissing, "Shit!"

His sentiments exactly; if her mother found them together- -like 'flat on the kitchen floor' together- -there would be no stopping the wrathful vengeance that would rain down upon him.

Kiba shuddered; they must eradicate any and all evidence of making out, ASAP.

Together they scrambled around and stood. With practiced efficiency, Kiba zipped up his jacket and adjusted himself as Ino twisted her skirt back in place. Her scent had faded from that explosive energy-smell to something more anxious and fearful.

"Ino? Are you here?"

"Act like nothing happened," Ino whispered, pushing him around the counter.

Kiba nodded, afraid to speak, and perched on his barstool. He tried looking as innocent as he could, for when Mrs. Yamanaka entered the kitchen. He prayed he didn't look too grey- -fear had a draining effect on him.

"Welcome home, Mom!" Ino greeted, smoothing her hair before her mother appeared in the hallway. "Dad wrote you a note to explain Kiba."

Mrs. Yamanaka was not a tall woman, but she certainly intimidated the hell out of Kiba. Her razor-sharp blue eyes flew to him, and he shifted nervously when she glared. He silently thanked Ino when she walked to her mother and handed her Inoichi's note.

"Here," she said. "We were just finishing lunch. How did your day go?"

Ino and her mother stepped from the hallway to stand together behind the counter where Kiba sat, preoccupied with his forgotten sandwich.

Look innocent, Kiba told himself, pretending to ignore Mrs. Yamanaka's penetrating gaze, look innocent. You're just a guy eating a sandwich…you totally did _not _just make out with Ino, right there on the kitchen floor…nope, never happened. He tried to ignore the very clear fact that he'd be a victim of Mind Destruction jutsu if Inoichi found out what had transpired in his kitchen.

A bite of sandwich lodged painfully in his throat.

Mrs. Yamanaka finished reading with a satisfied, "Oh. Well, thank you for your courtesy, Kiba."

When Ino pointedly coughed, he gulped to clear his throat. "Any time."

To his complete relief, Mrs. Yamanaka sat down at a table nearby and began prattling on about her day. Kiba tuned her out and concentrated on chewing with a closed mouth. Several instances he caught himself shifting his eyes over Ino's curvy form, thinking of their previous activity, and kicked himself each time for being so obvious about it.

The door slammed again, and this time Kiba smelled Inoichi. He had _really _hoped to be out of the house before facing the man known throughout Konoha as "The Mind Cracker." Like a master thief cracked a bank vault, Inoichi was known to 'crack' the minds of some of the worst criminals in Fire Country.

Inoichi called down the hall. "Oy! Is Kiba still here, then?"

"Yes! In the kitchen!" called mother and daughter.

Kiba's palms went clammy and cold. He eyed the kitchen window, wondering if he should make a break for escape before interrogation or worse could occur.

He hesitated a moment too long. Inoichi walked into the kitchen, and when he was in range, laid a heavy hand on Kiba's shoulder. Nerves prickled down Kiba's back. Nothing happened, he thought. Nothing happened, nothing happened, nothing-

"Good to see you got her home safely. Did she cause any problems for you?"

"No, no. None." Kiba's response seemed too quick even to his own ears. He caught a telling glance from Ino. "Look…I really should be-"

"-heading back," Ino finished in tandem with him. She walked around the counter to give her father a peck on the cheek. "I'll see him out."

Kiba and Ino quickly exited the kitchen and moved down the hallway to the front door. As he wiggled his feet into his boots, he could hear her parents whispering but their voices were too low for him to eavesdrop.

Ino stood nearby, watching him. Her gaze felt as heavy as Inoichi's hand on his shoulder earlier.

Kiba looked up at her and noticed the ghost of a frown. "Is…is there something wrong?"

"No," she said, but it looked like she wanted to continue. He didn't press her.

He supposed they were both thinking about what they'd done in the kitchen and on the floor. Kiba knew they would have pushed their…uh…activity a lot further if they'd been uninterrupted.

How had it all happened? Before this day, he had never felt even the slightest iota of attraction to Ino, and judging from her prior behavior, he assumed that she had not felt attracted to him. Their typical behavior usually included hurling insults like they hurled kunai and shiruken.

That thought reminded him of her stomach wound- -guilt threaded through him. Ino had been in a weakened condition. Had he taken advantage of her?

His mood spiraled downwards, and the silence lingered as he laced up his boots and continued as she opened the door to let him out. Sliding past her, their eyes locked, and it was like a high-power beam had spotted him, uncovering the dark ripples of guilt.

That guilt gnawed at him. He started to speak. "Ino…I…uh…" but he ran out of steam. What was he gonna say- -nice making out with you? Kiss ya later? Yeah, right.

"Yeah," she murmured and dropped her gaze. He took this as his cue to leave.

The words hung awkwardly in the air as he crossed the porch…touched the railing…stepped down the first step…then the second step. There were flagstones leading in a meandering curve to the sidewalk. Various flowers and vegetation swayed in the slight breeze. His foot landed on the third step.

Was he really just leaving like this? He was acting like a damn coward.

"Kiba!"

He stopped and turned to look at her. Ino had stepped forward, but she looked like she was hesitating. Then her expression changed, and before he could identify it, Ino stepped over to him and flung her arms around his neck.

Her warmth radiated to his bones, and when she kissed him, he couldn't breathe for the surprise. That clever tongue of hers glided along the edge of his teeth, finally teasing his own tongue. A little grunt escaped her throat.

The snarling heat that had finally died down now growled and kicked him in the stomach again. Before he could grasp her and keep her flush against him, she flitted out of his reach.

She called over her shoulder. "See you around, Inuzuka."

He could _hear_ the bitchy self-satisfied smile in her voice, and because of it, he felt back on familiar territory.

"Not if I can help it, Yamanaka," he replied, watching the swing of hair and ass when she crossed the porch, went through the door and slammed it shut. He was left with the feeling that she'd taken advantage of him, not vise-versa.

However, as he walked home, his mind continued swirling with questions concerning the afternoon's bizarre turn of events.

The guilt twisted again in his gut when he realized he had completely forgotten about Yukari. Ah, hell. What was he going to do about her?

Kiba groaned. How could this possibly _be_? This was _so_ unfair! He finally had found a decent non-shinobi girl and had gotten her to go on a date with him, but of course, Ino had to show up and faint. Then the planets aligned (or something like that) and he had been able to practice those making out and kissing skills Shino, Naruto, and Shikamaru had been bragging about, only not on Yukari but on Ino!

What the hell had he done to deserve this confusion?

Kiba abruptly realized he'd already entered the front gate to his family's compound and was standing at his front door. He rested his hand on the doorknob.

"KIBA-A? _Is that you_?" His mother yelled at the top of her lungs at him.

"YEAH!"

He entered and turned the corner as his mother answered. "YER GIRLFRIEND STOPPED- -oh!"

Mom stood at the stove, stirring something in a pan that smelled fantastic. Kiba sniffed over her shoulder as she continued at a normal volume. "Yer girlfriend stopped by and left a message."

"Yeah, okay"- -he walked to the refrigerator, where a pink note hung precariously by a magnet- -"thanks."

"Dinner's in an blahblahblahblah. Blahblahblahblah? Blahba? _Blahba_!"

Kiba didn't hear her, too busy reading Yukari's note:

_Dear Kiba,_

_I stopped by earlier to see if you wanted to go out for lunch, but you'd left. I had a really_

_nice time last night, and I wanted it to go on. I was hoping to see you again soon, before you left on_

_any more assignments. Maybe we could meet Saturday? I'll be in the Southgate Park until_

_sundown. I'm there anyway this Saturday, so if you can't make it, it will be okay._

_Yours always,_

_Yukari_

Her handwriting was neat and flourished, and the paper smelled good, like it'd been stuck under her shirt closest to her perfumed skin. And she'd written 'Yours always'. That was as good as writing 'Love', wasn't it?

A smile crawled across his face. He would definitely be meeting her Saturday (Second date! Yes!)… if he could wait that long. Then blue eyes and blonde hair interrupted his pleasant thoughts.

What was he gonna do about Ino?

He leaned against the counter, resting his head against the wood cabinets, suppressing a groan. What about Ino?

A hard pinch on his neck roused him. "Go get yer sister, lover-boy."

"I'm going." Kiba warded Mom's hand away, flicking the letter out of her nearly closed fingers. He felt irritated. "And don't pry into my personal life."

He tucked the note into a pocket as she smirked. "Yeah, yeah."

"I'm serious!"

"Seriously _lame_," Hana voiced from behind them. She continued over Kiba's growl. "I got out of the clinic early. Dinner smells good!"

"Hm," Mom grunted, tapping the wooden spoon. "Kiba, you need to feed the dogs."

He _always _fed the dogs, and it wasn't fair. "Aw-w…why can't Hana do it?"

Hana glared at him, a slight sneer curling her lip. "I worked all day! What did you do? Trail around after your village girl?"

He felt angrier than he should. "You guys _suck_!"

Fuming, he spun abruptly and stalked through the kitchen to the back of the house. Through a haze of red, he banged around the backroom getting the dog food ingredients.

Some calm, reasonable side told him to stop worrying. He measured, dumped, and mixed together the ingredients, equally doling everything out in the bowls. As he did so, the same voice told him that while Yukari was a sure thing, Ino wasn't.

He would continue to date Yukari. When he met Ino again, he would tell her to leave him alone. He was Yukari's boyfriend (in the loosest sense of the word) and he had to save all his attention and care for her.

* * *

**A/N: **I know Hana seems like such a nice girl, but come _on!_ Kiba's her brother, and it's like an unofficial rule that older siblings _must _tease younger ones. Next chapter: Ino pays Kiba a visit. And things _really_ heat up. =)


	3. Second Date

**A/N: **Hello, again, dear readers. We are at our third chapter of "Catching a Shinobi". Please remember, our dear Inuzuka Kiba is a fifteen year-old male. And while he may be smart, he's not _brilliantly _smart. Having said that, enjoy!

* * *

**III: Second Date**

_Scrub, scrub, scrub_- -he still couldn't believe it- -_scrub, scrub, scrub, scrub, SPLOOSH!_

Kiba sent suds spilling out of the bucket onto the grass. A line of dirty kennels waited like soldiers, some sixteen to the last one, off to the side. On his other side, the fourteen he'd managed to scrub sparkled in the mid-morning sun.

Not only was he basically Hana's slave, but he was also grounded for the next _week_ for nailing his sister with a dog bowl for comments on his love life. Grounded, as in if he wasn't helping out at the clinic, then he was restricted to home, where his mother gleefully enslaved him as well.

Yep. He would _definitely _miss his second date with Yukari.

Wiping his forehead, he sighed and glanced at the sun. He'd been tumbled out of bed at the ass-crack of dawn, something like six or six-thirty in the morning, and had been on his hands and knees, half-in and half-out of kennels since then.

Wrinkly fingers, hurting knees, cramping arm and shoulder muscles all added to the inhumanity of the punishment, and now his back ached.

He fished for the scrub brush in the soapy water, and went back to scrubbing with a vengeance, as though the harder he scrubbed, the faster the end of his punishment would come.

One hope swirled in his mind like the white suds in the bucket: maybe if he did a good job and behaved, he could have Saturday off.

Yeah, right. His cynical side snorted at the very idea. Like his mother would _ever _let him off punishment so he could go out on a _date_.

He let his mind wander as he vaguely watched his arm go back-forth-back-forth-back-forth, the harsh bristles scraping the metal. He wanted to touch Yukari's dark hair, trace her jaw with his finger, find the hidden dips and curves of her body under the nice dress she was sure to wear.

And what her neck maybe tasted like…

His wheezed and felt sweat run down his face and back. The thought of what she looked like bare came coupled with a swift hit in the stomach, but the image faltered when he thought he whiffed someone familiar.

His mind had a spasm, and he reverted to thinking of Ino. Ino and her thick spill of gold hair, her sky-like eyes, her hungry mouth as she-

"Wow, you really _are _on punishment."

Ino's lilting voice broke Kiba from his daydream. He panicked a second, thinking he'd dreamed her, but the presence at his back confirmed her existence. Just like Mom or Hana to send _her _back here when he was up to his elbows in grey soap and filth. Kiba backed out of his current kennel and sat back on his heels to look up at Ino.

Eyes traveled over a length of sculpted legs, her net, short skirt, her toned stomach, her well-formed breasts, and finally to her pretty face.

He tried convincing himself he panted from the hot weather. "Yeah."

'Oh, _so _articulate,' cried the part that wanted to tumble her into the grass, get his hands under-

Her brows knitted. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah."

A slight smile crept across her face as she leaned over. It looked like she was- -was she…?

Ino landed a kiss on him; his already hot blood spiked in temperature. When she dipped her tongue to his, a charge of electricity zapped through him, hitting his balls. And he didn't even think about it as his hands snapped out to her legs, to the most convenient joints, and he buckled her knees so that she lost her balance and crashed on him.

Kiba fell backwards, and soon after found his arms pinned. Ino's weight pressed suggestively on his hips, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. His heart thudded against his chest; he couldn't breathe properly. How could she be so fucking beautiful?

She giggled. "If you want to spar, you'll have to ask nicely."

"It's not sparring that I have in mind," he growled without thought.

Some satisfaction was had when her look registered surprise at his words and a bright flush spread across her cheeks and nose. The grip on his arms loosened, and intuitively he reached up to caress her face.

The skin at her neck and cheek was so soft- -ultra-fine peach fuzz under his finger tips, like the warm, plump bodies of newly born pups.

Ino readily bent when he gently tugged her and surrendered a very deep kiss to him. Chemistry sparked between them. A thrum started in his heart, connected to all parts of him, vibrated outwards. Natural inclination had him tussling her off him to the grass, where he used his weight to keep her underneath him.

Finding his back under his loose shirt, her hands dove below the waistband of his pants, dragging, clawing up seductively to his shoulders, and left wakes of sensitive heat and nerves.

His mouth found that favored spot on her neck, teeth tested her skin, tongue tasted something like vanilla and lemon. She smelled divine and all her curves seemed to beg for his hands and there was this buzz in his head and he felt his hips nestle with hers.

Her quiet moan when he rubbed against her stole his breath, made him dizzier. Raw need emanated from her, he could _smell _it…hell, he could _feel _it, just as his own mind registered the desire he had for her.

Release. He needed release. Any kind would do, just _something _to take care of this tautness that strained his muscles_._

Fingers discovered a piece of cold plastic, vaguely the word 'zipper' filtered to his occupied mind, and he'd worked it down before he could stop himself.

She gasped when his one hand palmed her breast, and he discovered the little hardened nub and the weight like holding an orange.

He burned, _wanted_, and he heard himself murmuring, but he wasn't paying attention to his words. Her voice touched his mind, small, too quiet, but he couldn't hear over the thud of his heart in his ears. The taste of her locked him in, and he wanted a _new _favorite spot to kiss on her, so he dropped a line of kisses on her collarbone, trailing down to her cleavage…

But she squirmed under him, hands and arms getting in his way, her voice grew urgent. Without warning, pain exploded across his face when she slapped him. Hard.

He tumbled some feet in the grass, so dizzy that the sky spun above him. Shame and confusion tangled in him when he realized he'd lost control again.

Terrified, Kiba struggled to his feet, held out his hands to her. He had just enough time to watch her zip up her top and stomp over to him, her face contorted. Words to explain caught in his throat.

Her eyes had crystallized in fury. "_I'm_ _not that_ _easy_, you pig!" And she slapped him a second time.

Stars exploded in his head.

He came to a second later, sprawled on the ground. Dumbfounded, reeling, he watched her stalk out of view.

In her wake, a haze of jumbled emotion followed.

He didn't remember going back to the kennels, and he didn't remember scrubbing the rest of them. He sort of…zoned out and _did_. Ino's slaps seemed to have knocked out his sense.

The haze continued until Kiba had sat back from the last one, when his mother yanked him to his feet.

There was gentleness in her voice. "C'mon, kiddo. Dinner time."

He nodded, faded out again as he took care of the dirty water, bucket, and scrub brush. Then without being told, he fed the dogs and set the table. His mother and sister exchanged looks.

Before he knew it, Hana had cornered him against the counter and pressed a hand to his forehead.

"You look a little feverish."

Kiba didn't feel like dealing with her, so he shrugged and didn't argue. Mom looked over Hana's shoulder at him. Her gaze seemed shrewd somehow, and Kiba shifted nervously under her scrutiny.

"He didn't come in for lunch, maybe it's that?"

Hana grunted noncommittally, checked the pulse at his neck.

Mom's eyebrows crunched together as she addressed him. "Has this punishment gotten you down?"

He felt closed in. "It's fine"- -pushed by his sister to get some space.

She had his arm in a heartbeat, jerking him around to face her. "Yer one cheek looks swollen."

He answered her with another shrug.

"What did that Yamanaka girl want?" Her eyes had narrowed into angry slits.

But Kiba's whole mind pictured and sensed Ino, the fire her slaps left on his cheek. The memory of them clenched his heart. He didn't want to think about her.

"Something about…the flower shop…I dunno," Kiba muttered, eyeing the hallway on the other side of the kitchen that led to the bedrooms. His room would be cool, dark, and a cave where he could hibernate. "Wanted me to swing by."

"What for?"

Kiba felt like bacon- -dead, crisping in his own juices, and soon to be devoured- -and he couldn't help but glance over Mom's shoulder to Hana. He didn't know why he did that, it just…happened. Something in his face must have pleaded for her help.

Hana took pity on him. "Mom, why don't you wait until after supper to do this?"

Mom glared at him a final time. "Very well. Get the food on. I'll get drinks around." She released his arm, the impression of her fingers remained.

At first, Kiba couldn't believe Mom had left him alone. _Then_ he couldn't believe Hana had come to his rescue.

Usually she was the one leading the execution.

"Thanks," he mumbled to her when he took the laden dishes from her. She favored him with a sidelong glance.

"Gotta get used to the fact you're not a baby anymore." Hana smiled at him, and he managed one back, as she contritely rubbed her forehead. "And you've got one _hell_ of an arm."

After that, dinner was a quiet affair, and he expected Mom to pin him to the wall with her questions as they washed the dishes together. She did not, only let him wander to his room where he sank into bed and oblivion.

The next two days blurred together. The amount of work piled on him increased, and he accepted it without complaint. He just didn't have the energy, which, in a way, was what he wanted, since working kept his mind off Ino and Yukari.

Kiba knew his sister and his mother thought he was behaving oddly. They said nothing, as he remained pliable to their demands and questions; his anger and big mouth had gotten him into enough trouble.

Akamaru left him alone, and for that small favor, he was grateful, because he couldn't deal with what Ino had done to him, and he knew Akamaru would ask questions he didn't have any answers to.

The whole thing confused Kiba. He'd never felt such a violent response to a female before. Twice, now, he and Ino had easily gone too far.

Unwillingly, he replayed making out in Ino's kitchen and in his backyard. They had flirted, or what he thought was flirting, and then she said or did something that elicited a reaction out of him.

_She_ teased him, let him push the envelope, responded when he touched and kissed her. _Ino_ was the one who messed him up, and then left him spinning when she pulled back.

What did that all mean?

His instinct had him thinking that it was her fault he was feeling mixed like some Kiba-shake from the blender.

And she had said that she'd always been mean to him because _she'd liked him_. And didn't Ino say that was the _wrong_ way to go about things?

'CONTRADICTION!' his logic screamed at him. Allowing him access to her wonderful body and then slapping him, not once, but _twice_, definitely constituted as meanness. But did that meanness equate to affection or anger?

Ino had definitely been angry, but she'd started it by kissing him like…like that.

And how did she expect him to respond? He wasn't a saint! She should have known what his reaction would have been based on what had happened in her kitchen!

Suspicion touched the back of his mind. Maybe…maybe she did know. Maybe she had counted on him getting to second base. Maybe she was messing with him.

His mind stood on that thought for a moment. Ino could have the capacity to yank him up and down like a yo-yo, he surmised. But then why would she help him, _feed _him, and come and visit him on her own time, and seem truly genuine about it all?

Maybe, he thought, she's trying to ruin my chances with Yukari. Hot anger clawed through him- -he gritted his teeth.

That bitch! That's _exactly _what he expected out of a Yamanaka princess like _her._

She had as good as admitted she was jealous of his relationship with Yukari. All that nice stuff she did might be a game she was playing. Making out with him had probably been a way for her to get her hooks into him.

Well, he had a date on Saturday, never mind he was still grounded. He was a ninja, wasn't he?

A plan came together at the back of his mind, and he grinned through the rest of his daily chores. He'd show that Yamanaka princess who was boss.

Friday night had barely faded to Saturday morning when he rolled out of bed. Kiba would need Akamaru's assistance in this, and since his mother had loosened her watch over him, he was able to discuss the plan with him on their morning walk.

Later, under the blazing sun, Kiba eagerly looked forward to escape, but in the early afternoon, his mother did something surprising.

He'd been in the middle of squeegee-ing the outside windows of the clinic- -shoulder-aching, sweaty work- -when his mother called to him from a side door. Kiba came willingly, seeing spots as his eyes adjusted to the dark indoors, and accepted the glass Mom handed him.

"I've been thinking," she started as he chugged the ice water, "that I've been a little harsh on you. I'm decreasing yer punishment to four days."

Water went up his nose when he choked in surprise. He recovered enough to stammer, "W-why?"

"Well," she hesitated, running her hand along the edge of a supply shelf, "yer sister was wrong to jab at you like that. And we both should respect yer privacy."

She smiled and clucked him under his chin. Kiba continued to stare at her, even as she turned to leave. A thought crossed his mind…he almost didn't give it voice, but then why the hell not?

"Hey! Since yer in such a forgiving mood, can I have this evening off?"

Mom's cackle answered him.

Damn, that was a 'No'.

He still had to sneak out, but now he could NOT get caught or else there would be hell to pay.

Kiba continued washing and wiping down the windows, did some other random stuff for Hana, and then went in for lunch. He and Akamaru had to play it right, otherwise, Mom or Hana would check up on them and discover everything.

Stage One of his plan began during the post-lunch clean-up. Kiba dried the dishes as Hana washed them.

He fumbled a glass, but recovered before he dropped it. Hana gave him a side-long glance. Kiba rubbed his forehead, grimaced, and then leaned against the counter.

She wiped off her hands, obviously concerned. "What's wrong?"

Perfect, he thought, and continued with his act.

"I'm not feeling good. Where's the aspirin?" He started opening and closing drawers, like he couldn't remember where the aspirin was. "Thirsty, too."

A cabinet door squeaked. Hana said, "Here."

Kiba turned, wobbling, while catching another worried glance from Mom, and held out his hand for the aspirin. He glugged down two glasses of water before Hana told him that was enough, he'd make himself sick.

"But I'm thirsty," he replied, drawing another glass. His nerves had his heart pounding…he couldn't mess this up- -he hoped that his nervousness would be construed as illness since Hana and Mom could detect fluctuations in scent that indicated lies.

"Are you dizzy?"

He nodded, feeling shy under Hana's observant gaze. "A little."

"Muscle cramps?"

That sounded too serious, so he opted to keep to being dizzy. "No. Just achy."

"Maybe you should lie down…I think you have some mild sunstroke."

Kiba frowned. "But…I still have some chores…"

Mom intervened. "No. Hana's right. You've been in the hot sun all day. You go to yer room and rest."

He slumped his shoulders and padded through the kitchen to his bedroom- -closed the door as nerves pricked along his spine and tightened in his stomach.

Keep calm, he told himself. You can pull this off.

Akamaru waited outside his window and spoke to him with soft growls and the occasional quiet bark. _What took you so long?_

"I had to sell it," Kiba answered. "You know how suspicious my mom is."

_Hm. Just don't be too long. We can't hold up the jutsu._

Kiba rolled his eyes. "I _know_."

He helped his nin-dog scrabble through the window, and then they performed a specialty version of Human Mimicry. It had taken weeks of training to perfect this technique, but it'd been worth it. Now, during training, his mother and sister could not tell the difference between him and Akamaru when they performed this jutsu.

He hoped they hadn't figured a way around it since then.

A knock at the door had Kiba breaking out in a cold sweat. His heart stuttered some.

"Kiba?"

Holy crap, Mom! He vaulted through the window, performed transformation jutsu to become Akamaru. The doorknob rattled; the door swung open.

"Kiba? You forgot yer water," she said.

A breeze carried away the smoke just as Mom entered. When she glanced over, Kiba knew she saw him as Akamaru through the window. She handed Akamaru-as-Kiba the glass of water, and smiling, Mom turned.

It looked like she was leaving, but then she turned again. Did she suspect something?

Barely suppressed panic ensued when she kissed Akamaru-as-Kiba's forehead. "Get yer rest."

_Then _she left.

Both dog and master heaved a sigh. Akamaru leaned out of the window.

_Be careful._

Kiba nodded, and proceeded with Stage Two of his escape plan. The hardest part over, it was ridiculously easy to leave the compound as a nin-dog. When he was a safe distance away, he released the transformation jutsu and became Kiba-as-Kiba.

The sky was clear, but his shadow edged toward the long and disproportionate side. He hoped Yukari was good on her word.

Her image seemed faded in his mind, like a photograph out in the sun too long, and their last moments together felt distant, almost washed out. Kiba didn't like that feeling, so he felt strangely justified in lying and evading his punishment.

Hmph. What would Ino think if she saw him with Yukari?

Oh, IDEA! He still had credit at the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. Ino was probably working…Kiba would take _Yukari _there to pick out something she liked. It would serve Ino right for smacking him around! Haha, _yes_!

As Kiba shot to the rooftops to cut across town to Southgate Park, he thought everything had come together way too easy. One thought stood in the back of his mind, waving. 'Don't mess with Ino! Don't mess with-' He ignored it.

Later, after the evening had ended in disaster, he thought he should have listened to the stupid voice in his head.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope that you forgive my heavy usage of artistic license. The exchange between Kiba and his dog has always mystified me; that, and what shinobi kid wouldn't use jutsu to escape from Mom and Dad for a while? Also, please stay tuned for the fourth installment, _Reckless _and leave some love in the reviews!


	4. Reckless

**A/N: **Welcome back, friends. There is no explicit content, but the content is definitely 'M' rated. It will more than likely make many of you uncomfortable and probably a little upset. I apologize in advance for it.

* * *

**IV: Reckless**

Kiba found Yukari by the creek like she had said.

She sat, on a small blanket, with her legs folded under a brightly patterned summer dress and a small backpack of yarn beside her. His ears picked up the quiet _clickclickclick_ as her dainty hands worked the knitting needles expertly.

Kiba watched her, feeling like he'd ruin the perfectly serene picture she created if he jumped down in front of her. For some reason, he had to work up the courage to drop to the ground and walk over to her.

He stopped a few feet away, not wanting to startle her. "Yukari."

Her dark eyes snapped up- -alarm- -then sheer happiness. "Kiba! You came!"

"Yeah." Kiba self-consciously smoothed his hair. "Almost didn't make it."

Needles clinked to the ground. Yukari stood, all five-foot-three of her, and closed the distance between them. She dove into him and hugged. Ribs squeezed painfully together. It was enough to distract him from having certain thoughts.

She spoke into his chest. "I'm so glad you're here!"

Feeling a little off-balance from her affectionate display, Kiba rested his hand on her back. "So am I."

Yukari broke away, fingers curling in his shirt. "Sit down and talk with me. I feel like I haven't seen you in _ages!_"

He floated along after her, head among the clouds, and not at all guilty that he'd snuck away from home to be with her. When he sat, she situated herself closer to him, so that her shoulder and arm touched _his _shoulder and arm.

Pleasant tingling spread through the light contact, and Kiba once again found his heart fluttering. It took them a few moments of awkwardness to fall into a comfortable pattern of dialogue.

"You said you almost didn't make it tonight…why's that?"

Yukari's eyes peered up into his, and he felt compelled to twine their fingers together between them. Her hand and arm stiffened some, but relaxed.

"I did something stupid…so I'm on punishment."

Her head tilted; the free hand stroked the side of his face soothingly- -his heart thudded. "Are you…_still_ on punishment?"

"Heh. Yeah. But what my mom doesn't know, won't hurt her."

"Why would you…won't you get into _more _trouble? I would hate for me to be the cause of…oh."

When he kissed her fingers, Yukari simply looked at him. Kiba leaned in close, enjoying how her eyes widened. "I didn't want you to think I wasn't interested anymore."

Then he nuzzled her, face burying in the silk strands of hair. Her scent was…delicious, tantalizing. There was that soap and lilac, and he could tell she'd been sitting in the sun- -she smelled like a hot afternoon. His hand found the nape of her neck, and as his fingers spread into her hair, he felt her hesitate.

Immediately he withdrew, feeling like an ass. You should know better, he berated himself, she doesn't know you. It didn't help that Kiba thought that Ino wouldn't have hesitated. He rested his hands on the nearest neutral zone: her unsatisfying shoulders. "Sorry. I don't…mean to push you."

The light had failed considerably since they'd sat together. Kiba could tell she was having trouble seeing, but he was sure she could see the shape of him in the darkening shadows; perhaps she intuited his worry. She reached up and carded her fingers in his hair.

"You're not pushing me. I want to do this," but she sounded unsure. Quietly, to herself, he heard her repeat it with more assertion. "I _want _to do this."

Before he could say, 'No…you don't,' she shifted to sit in his lap and rendered him speechless. Surprise froze him. His pulse beat in his ears, thundered behind his ribs.

Her hands, cool and narrow, caressed his face and neck, trailing through his hair and over his ears, thumbs tracing his cheeks where she thought his tribal marks were. Kiba definitely seemed to have trouble breathing. She guided his head; he relinquished control to her.

Sense filtered away as Kiba finally got that kiss.

Her lips were honey-sweet and gentle as they met his. Kiba's hand found its way to her neck again to keep her mouth from wandering off.

Kissing Yukari pleased him, gave him a serenity that he didn't think existed. None of that possessive animal heat exploded like he'd expected. Partly it was because he knew he couldn't mishandle Yukari…he would never forgive himself if he scared her. _No one_ would forgive him if he hurt a civilian- -strict laws prohibited any shinobi from assaulting the non-shinobi community.

But there was something else that Kiba felt was missing.

He tried to ignore the nagging thought…but it persisted, and he broke the kiss.

"Kiba…" Yukari whispered, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He stroked her back absently; she worried his jaw with light kisses. Something with her scent-

"I want…to take you somewhere." Her voice sounded like her heart beat in her throat. "Will you come with me?"

Honestly…his first thought…he was gonna get laid.

Kiba cursed under his breath, embarrassed. Yukari was not a girl he would…you know- -he struggled with words- -do _that_ with. At least, not right away. She was conservative and quiet, and she _would not_ jump into the sack with a guy she'd just met. Right?

He tried ignoring how nerves made his hands clammy, clearing his throat before he spoke. "Sure. That sounds fun."

Yukari had already stood, and she tugged at his arm. "Can you help me? My bag spilled…I can't see."

"Sure."

He looked around, and since his eyes accommodated darkness, he could see sepia trees and buildings. Yukari's eyes had a shine to them as they reflected minute light sources. Kiba helped Yukari replace the yarn into her bag.

"Is that all of it?" she asked, stepping over to him.

As she did, her foot hooked under a root, causing her to stumble. Kiba caught her awkwardly by the arm before she could sprawl on the ground.

"Careful." He tugged her upright. "Where is this place? I can get us there faster, if you want."

She managed to stuff the blanket in the bag. "Oh? I…" She slung the bag over her shoulders. "How do you mean?"

Kiba felt his wicked grin, thanked his lucky stars that it was easy to be romantic and cool around her. "I'll carry you."

"Carry me?"

Through his dark vision, she looked dubious, and he laughed at her, running his finger along the angle of her jaw.

"Yeah. Here, climb on." He guided her and knelt down when she was at his back. "Lemme have yer knees."

Yukari seemed to move carefully under his guidance. "Are you sure about this?" But she let Kiba grab her under her knees and hoist her up.

She gasped, nearly choking him with her grip, and Kiba laughed. "Hang on!"

He charged into the trees, delighted with Yukari's sharp squeal. She clung to him desperately, but after a minute, she laughed. He reveled in that wonderful sound.

"Faster!" Yukari cried, giggling. "Faster!"

Kiba obliged. This nighttime flight liberated him, especially when Yukari's scent glowed in his nose and brain like some slowly burning fire- -her excitement enthralled him. Older scents spiked in different colors- -a highway of sensation and molten light.

His heart could explode, and the cooling air felt incredible on his flush cheeks. They broke the tree line, and Kiba paused on a rooftop. He still had unfinished business with the Yamanaka princess.

"We're gonna make a quick stop."

"A quick stop? Where?" Her voice next to his ear sounded feather-light and full of possibility.

Kiba grinned. "You'll see."

He sped off across the roofs, leapt a few streets, and landed smack in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. Feeling giddy with anticipation, not only for his stolen time with Yukari, but with the revenge blow he was about to deal Ino, Kiba opened the door for Yukari.

The bells jangled, and over Yukari's head, his eyes went to the checkout counter. From across the store, Ino's blonde ponytail bobbed.

Their gazes locked. Ino's surprise registered first. She glanced to Yukari, then back to him. Confusion.

Yukari, oblivious, greeted Ino. "Hello, Miss Ino!"

"Welcome…Miss Nakamura, wasn't it?" Kiba watched, a corner of his mouth curling, as Ino rounded the counter, somewhat stiffly. "Kiba."

"Ino." He rested a hand on the small of Yukari's back. "How are you?"

"Fine, yourself?"

Kiba couldn't wait any longer. "I'm here for my fee."

Her fine brow lifted. "Fee?"

"Hn." He hadn't expected Ino to just roll over. "Yukari…I gotta talk to Ino about something. Can you look around for a few minutes…try and find something you like."

Yukari tilted her head, her eyes warm and shining. "Really?"

God, she was adorable. Kiba pressed a kiss to her forehead and scooted her down an aisle. "Yeah. It'll just be a minute."

"My, you two are cozy," Ino said lowly. "Getting married yet?"

Kiba rolled his eyes, knew Ino was trying to distract him.

"Yer dad said I could have anything in the shop for free for escorting you home," he leaned in, "and to answer yer question, no."

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice lowered further. "I know why you're here."

"You do?" He rocked back on his heels, hands tucking into his pockets. "Enlighten me."

"You're getting back at me for slapping you."

"No-o…I'm here to get flowers for my girlfriend."

Enjoying himself, Kiba watched as Ino tensed, and he smelt her irritation and upset. Her hands had clenched into fists; he wondered if she would take a swing at him.

Nice to know he could get under Ino's skin like she could get under his.

"Oh! Can I have these?" Yukari called from a few aisles over. "They're beautiful!"

Ino glared at him then spun on her heel to stalk to the register. She took up her post and scowled all through the wrapping of the bouquet Yukari had picked out, and didn't even wish them farewell when they left, flowers fit snug in Yukari's little backpack.

Yukari fidgeted as the door jingled shut. "Was she mad at something?"

"Yeah," Kiba grinned, "at herself. Let's get going." He lifted her onto his back and hopped to the housetops, where he stopped and pointed. "There's the Hokage Tower. Can you find yer spot from here?"

He heard her already breathing hard, loved the knowledge that _he'd _caused that. "Yes…uh…let's see…go toward the village center, please."

_Please_, he thought, smiling. She'd said _please_. How adorable.

"Yer wish is my command."

She giggled, snuggled closer to him. "Ki-_ba_…don't say that!"

He jumped into motion again, skimming the roofs and bursting through the occasional treetop. This feeling…it was like he had just stomped some major A-class face or mastered a completely technical and forbidden jutsu- -elation, euphoria. All that and something _more _mixed his insides, made him grin- -_fly_.

When he stopped at the open, square concrete area at the village center, he let Yukari off. She swayed, and Kiba steadied her, shot through with concern.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't think their foray over the rooftops of Konoha would make her dizzy…geez, he didn't even ask if she was afraid of heights. His anxious thoughts quieted when her hand slipped into his.

She smiled at him. Breathlessly, she said, "That was…incredible."

Relief relaxed him, had him pulling Yukari closer. "Heh. Any time," he glanced up and snagged a glimpse at the five carved faces of Hokage Mountain. "Where to from here?"

Yukari squinted and glanced around, then gestured to the side. "This way."

'This way' was an alley. A dark, _narrow _alley without an end in sight. Kiba hesitated, his shinobi-senses tingling, but Yukari passed into the crooked space without a moment's concern. He could hear dripping water as he followed behind Yukari.

"And where exactly are we going, again?" She hadn't answered that question.

He heard, more than saw, her smirk. "You'll see."

"Oh? A surprise? I like surprises."

He dropped his gaze to her cute tush, outlined gloriously by her dress. His hand twitched involuntarily- -pinching her would probably put her off.

"That's good," she laughed, unaware of his thoughts. "I found this place by accident. I like the energy and the music…the people."

The alley wound around to some wide steps. Up the steps they went, and they made a sharp left turn into another dark alley. At the end of this alley, there was another turn, and Kiba could discern some low light. Two lanterns flanked a narrow staircase leading down.

"Is this some sort of nightclub?" he asked, somewhat surprised that Yukari would take him clubbing, particularly when they were underage.

"You'll see."

Okay, cryptic, he thought, but her mystery had him continuing to follow her down the stairs. Her confidence seemed slightly out of place- -he'd only known her to be shy, but he supposed she'd gotten used to him.

There was a door they came to, and Yukari pushed it open and held out her hand to him. Kiba took it, had a small thought return to Ino before they entered together.

It felt a little like going down a rabbit hole. His senses swarmed with the assault of discordant noise, smoke, and the writhing crowd of people. Lights flashed in the dark; he could feel the bass vibrating in his chest.

He had stopped to adjust to the jarring environment, fingers threading with Yukari's. She tugged at his arm to get him moving, but when he looked confusedly at her, she only shrugged.

"I'm sorry!" He read her lips, more than heard her. She reached up to tease his jaw with a finger. "I should have warned you!"

"I'm just…you know…"

Kiba's emotion seemed to dissipate in the sensory overload. He'd lost his sense of direction completely; without Yukari's presence, he probably would have freaked.

"C'mon!" She tugged him again. "I see an open table."

Yukari pulled him headlong into the frenetic crowd, weaving agilely between bumping bodies. Kiba kept his eyes on her back- -the small bag she wore jiggled up and down, jostling the flowers- -trying not to feel claustrophobic. His sinuses had already clogged from the heavy smoke, but he was sure he didn't want to smell the sweaty bodies he saw.

After swimming through the sea of people, Yukari parked him at a standing table in some dark corner of the night club.

"Wait here," she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. "I'll be right back with drinks."

Kiba nodded and anchored his back against the nearest wall. He looked out, feeling very lost and very overwhelmed. A few minutes passed by, and Yukari had yet to return. Had she drowned in that tsunami of dancers?

Just when he made up his mind to attempt finding her, her small figure broke through the crowd with two drinks in her hand. He wondered how she could keep the glasses steady with people bumping into her constantly.

When she handed him one, he looked dubiously at it, wondering if taking sip was a good idea. One of the things Master Kurenai always told them was to be careful of inebriating drugs. He liked Yukari, but he wouldn't risk performing below his ability in case of an attack or assignment.

Yukari noticed his hesitation and stepped into him, standing on her tiptoes to shout into his ear. Her top showed some of her cleavage, and his brain turned to mush.

"Don't worry! There's nothing in it!" As if to prove it, she sipped out of her glass, and then out of his. "See?"

Seriously, he was acting like a pansy. "Bottom's up!" he said, and followed her example when she threw back half her drink.

The liquid was fizzy and refreshing, tasting of mint and sugar, and when he downed the rest of it, he felt better. Kiba had gotten used to the chaotic environment, and feeling spontaneous, he pulled Yukari into the throbbing crowd to dance.

Her smile, the movement of her hips, and her eyes were the only things he noticed, and it felt like only a few seconds had passed before she gestured at him, and he trailed after her back to the corner. Again she leaned into him and he ducked his head, understanding that she wanted to speak into his ear.

"I'm going for more drinks. Wait here."

He was glad to. All he could think about as he waited was how his heart beat too quickly, and how the sweat dripped down his face. When did he get so hot? The heat was unbearable, and as soon as Yukari returned with the drinks, he chugged his without hesitating.

Something in the drink tasted salty to him, but it was probably sweat he tasted. Again, they moved to the dance floor. Sometime after that, things started to take on a blurred, swirling quality that dizzied him. Things happened too fast, clipping along and leaving him behind. Something felt wrong…he couldn't breathe.

Had it been forever or just a few minutes? Kiba couldn't really remember. His surroundings spun more violently; his heart rate, rapid before, slowed to a low pulse. A period of suspended time occurred then cold night air smacked him across the face.

Yukari supported him- -but even with her help, Kiba managed to trip and stagger. He made an attempt at saying something…but his words were thick and slurred, as though he couldn't remember how to speak.

Yukari said something to him- -he didn't hear, or he didn't understand her- -and she propped him up against a wall. His world tilted on its axis…he found himself flat on the rough ground, grit painfully digging into his cheek.

How he got there…he didn't know. The sky swung into view, and blurry Yukari invaded his morphing vision, and he sensed someone else, but whoever it was remained anonymous in the spinning circus of Kiba's world.

"Here," Yukari said, sounding distorted, and several hands helped him to stand. "I think I gave him too much."

"Maybe just a touch over the dosage, but he'll perform fine," an older, feminine voice replied.

A couple seconds later, he staggered through a door propped between Yukari and the woman. Things went dark, and Kiba's dizziness worsened. His shoulder hit a wall, his knee banged the edge of something, but he couldn't tell if he hurt or not, only that the floor he'd fallen on steadied him.

They were in a room, he knew, and then a lamp shed dim light on a low bed that loomed up at the far end of the room. The fact that it wasn't his bed didn't concern him, nor the fact the bed seemed about a million miles away.

Again, Yukari and the other woman hoisted him up between them. Yukari's voice came to him. "Lay him down."

"Thank God. He's heavy."

"He's perfect- -he's one I can at least stand. Help me with his clothes."

Kiba had no control to help or hinder- -Yukari and the other woman flopped him onto in the bed. The very molecules of his mind had exploded apart, and he closed his eyes to keep the room from spinning. Helpless, Kiba felt his clothes being removed and heard them discarded.

He tried to remember where he was, but couldn't come up with anything. Heat flooded through his system and his stomach soured. Kiba opened his eyes to the ceiling, praying to avoid throwing up everywhere.

"You need any more help?" the unknown woman asked. Then, "You've caught yourself a fine one."

"No- -I can take it from here. You know," a zipper slid down, "he's really so nice. I feel sort of bad."

"You've got nothing to lose. With any luck, in nine months you'll be secure for the rest of your life."

He heard the door open and shut.

Lightning bolted through him as Yukari straddled him and bowed down to kiss his throat and chest. Her form seemed smeared into the background, and her hair draped over her eyes. It took several moments to register that she was naked. A little of his sense returned with the familiar aching under his stomach.

He tried speaking again. "Yukari…" His voice came out a croak, but at least something worked.

His hands lifted to push her away or draw her near- -he didn't know, but she easily warded away his arms; he couldn't tear his eyes from her, couldn't resist what she was offering. "Yukari?'

She interrupted him. Still, he could not see her face. "I want you, Kiba. I want you all to myself. When I'm with you…I feel so…so good and wonderful! I feel like I want to do all kinds of things."

Yukari leaned down. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, and he found the smooth plane of her back. Lilacs drowned him in sickly sweet scent. Darkness started to close in on him, but a sharp spike of nerves brought him around- -a warning he could not ignore. Kiba broke from her kiss fighting for control.

"Wait- -no."

"I know this is fast, but I can't help what I feel."

"Stop, just wait a-"

She pulled away, and he heard the hurt in her voice. "Don't you like me, Kiba? Don't you want this? I've been waiting my whole life for someone special…and I really believe you're that someone."

Yukari shifted, her hands sliding up his chest; he felt a moist warmth lower down. Resistance crumbled. Out his hands reached. He explored her smooth legs up to the curve of her hip. 'Stop,' whispered a voice. 'Stop before you do something stupid.'

Darkness threatened to close down on him again. Heat pooled in the parts that brushed against Yukari's lithe body. A panicky feeling stirred in his chest, spreading like wildfire through him. Something was wrong…something was wrong and he couldn't understand what it was. He couldn't-

Yukari shifted, dragging her nails along his stomach and sides. He felt her bare back, rounded her shoulders with his hands to cup her breasts- -only he couldn't _feel_ anything. He could barely see in his narrowed, darkened vision.

"Kiba…" she sighed.

An attack of paranoia hit him. Something was going to happen; something scary and not quite natural, but the more he struggled the less he could resist. Vaguely he heard the door open; senses- -his vision, mainly- -made a weak comeback.

Yukari froze, face turned to the door. A shriek. A purple blur crossed his vision, and with that, Yukari was no longer in his line of sight. Some thumps, more shrieking, the light crashed and went out.

"Get away! You're ruining _everything_! OUCH! LET GO!"

"_Shut UP!_"

A slap- -a thud. Silence.

"Kiba?"

Ino's voice was the last thing he heard before unconsciousness slipped him into pure nothingness.

* * *

**A/N: **Are we okay? If there are any of you who are asking yourselves, "Was Kiba just...did what I think happen really happen?"; the answer to your question is yes. Yukari took advantage of Kiba. The next two chapters are more explanatory, and I'm sure a lot of your questions will be answered then. Didn't I say at the beginning that there was one more scenario for you to believe? =)


	5. Disoriented

**A/N: **And here we are again, dear readers! Thank you all of you who have commented; I appreciate your time and questions, always!

For future chapters, the "**- -N- -**" sign indicates a time skip (**N** = Naruto, in case you're curious). Onwards!

* * *

**V. Disoriented**

As Kiba woke up, he groaned. At first, he wasn't sure where he was, but a long scan around assured him he was in his room.

He groaned as it registered that his head throbbed, his eyes burned, and his stomach pitched dangerously. There was fuzz over his teeth. The blinds were open, letting in searing light that worsened everything considerably.

Kiba groaned as he stumbled to his bathroom, using the walls to help his progress. After peeing and washing his hands, he brushed his teeth. The mint toothpaste helped soothe his stomach, but not enough to help him feel a whole lot better.

He groaned as he rummaged around for some aspirin, swallowed three, and took the time to close the blinds before burrowing under the covers again, sinking back into slumber.

Over and over, he heard his name called, and each time a different voice said it. Yukari's voice, Ino's voice, Hinata's voice, Hana's voice and others all syncopated and chorused around him. More times than not, it sounded like his mother calling him, and when he realized it _was_ her, it took him a while to respond.

"Kiba? Kiba…get up." Mom shook him, not gently. "Get up."

He had buried his head under the pillows, and he peeked from under them. "Hunh?"

"It's time for yer chores."

"Wha…?" He didn't understand what she was talking about.

Her eyes narrowed. "Yer chores."

"Chores?"

For some reason his brain didn't click. He honestly could not remember what 'chores' meant; it was like Mom was saying a foreign word that he didn't know.

"Chores, boy!" she said again, and he could tell she was getting annoyed. "Yer still on punishment."

He said nothing, lost in his confusion, and stared at her blankly. Mom grabbed his arm and yanked him up. She lowered her face to his, and Kiba shrank back from her low growl.

"Get around in fifteen minutes, or there'll be hell to pay."

With that threat, she straightened and left his room, slamming the door as she did. The noise caused him to cringe as pain bounced from the back of his brain to the front and back again over and over.

Several minutes passed as he collected himself. He moved carefully, worried that any jarring movement would agonize his already stinging brain. After opening and closing the five drawers to his dresser, forgetting what he was looking for each time, he found a clean shirt and a clean pair of pants.

Undressing and redressing ate up several more minutes because when he finally got the pants figured out and on, he couldn't remember where he laid his shirt. So when Mom opened his door, he was in the process of staring at his bedroom floor, half-dressed, wondering what he was looking for in the first place.

Mom crossed her arms. "What're you doing?"

He could feel her working up to a rage just by the way she stood in front of him. Kiba couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong to deserve her anger…suddenly he felt very helpless and upset, but he didn't know why.

"What's wrong with you?" Her voice held a sharp edge.

His eyes stung. Kiba ducked his head and shrugged. He couldn't remember; he didn't know how to answer her. He waited for her to yell at him to get his ass in gear, to stop messing around and do as she said. Instead, she surprised him by gathering him into her arms and giving him a tight hug.

"Yer still sick," Mom said, stroking his back. "Poor child, yer still sick."

He went with it, even though he wasn't sure what she was talking about, and turned his face into her neck and closed his eyes. He breathed her, and for a short while, he could ignore his illness in favor of the love he felt from his mother. When she patted him, he knew she would draw back, and so he prepared himself for the heaviness that would drop in his chest.

She released him. Only, for some reason, the heaviness fell worse than usual and made him feel liable to crack under the pressure of it. All his sickness swirled and came back with more potency than before. Willingly, he allowed her to usher him back to his bed, and she let him situate before pulling the covers all the way up.

Time, for Kiba, was marked only when Mom came to check on him, his meals- -barely eaten- -and then a few times when Hana came in. He was always in a state of semi-consciousness and their conversation was a low, soothing murmur. They only disturbed him when they unburied him and stuck a thermometer under his tongue to check his temperature.

He slept through that day and night.

Warm, steady licks on his face woke him up. Akamaru. Wordlessly, Kiba rolled to the opposite side of the bed right into a nice cold spot between the sheets. Akamaru hopped up to lie next to him, his weight and size sinking the mattress enough that Kiba slid downhill.

_How're you feeling?_ Akamaru whined at him, smiling in his doggy way.

Kiba scratched the base of his companion's skull as he struggled with an answer for Akamaru's question.

"Blah."

He did feel better, not dizzy or confused like he had been, but he wasn't at one hundred percent.

A series of soft growls. _What happened?_

Kiba closed his eyes to think. He remembered sneaking out to meet with Yukari, the visit to the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe, and taking Yukari somewhere. Vague lights, dark, and blurriness- -a skitter of nerves. But after that, no definite sense of time and no definite events. Just…nothing.

"I'm…not sure."

_You don't remember?_

"I…" Kiba flung an arm over his eyes, trying to make sense from the broken apart puzzle pieces his mind seemed to be in. "I don't know."

Akamaru licked his arm, and he reached out to stroke Akamaru's head. Amicable silence followed. Kiba, ill as he was, could still tell that Akamaru was working up to something.

_That night…something strange must have happened_. The nin-dog touched a cold nose to Kiba's neck. _Ino brought you home_.

At first, he thought he heard wrong. He stared at Akamaru, stomach twisting unpleasantly.

"What?"

_Ino brought you home_, Akamaru repeated patiently. _You were unconscious. Did you get into a fight?_

Kiba didn't know how to answer him, and a knock at the door saved him from any more probing Akamaru might have done.

He smelt lilac- -but instead of sending him into the stratosphere, the smell made him gag. Thinking quickly, Kiba shuffled his pillows around so that he would have his mouth and nose partially covered. It helped, but minimally.

"Kiba? It's Yukari." The door opened, and Yukari's small form slid into the room. Her eyes travelled over Akamaru, finally locking on Kiba. "Your mother said I could visit."

_I was just leaving._

Akamaru hopped off the bed and gave Kiba a last glance, like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it.

Yukari awkwardly stood and looked around his room.

"Hi," Kiba said, gesturing Yukari over. "I'm glad you came."

Yukari smiled shyly, crossing to sit on the edge of the bed. "You look terrible!"

"I _feel_ terrible."

Kiba tried to enjoy how Yukari leaned over him, but when she touched his face, he suppressed an urge to brush away her hand. They looked at each other for a moment, and Kiba frowned behind his pillows, wishing he felt like being more agreeable, but asking her to leave after she'd made the effort to visit seemed rude.

Then his eye caught the outline of a bruise on her shoulder, under the short sleeve of her dress.

He rubbed the spot. "Where did this come from?"

"Oh, this." She stopped his hand. "It's…it's…"

"It's what?"

She looked down at him, traced one of his clan marks with a finger. "You don't want to know."

But her lip quivered. Kiba gave her a serious look. "Tell me."

Some angry blotches formed on the pale skin above the collar of her dress. To his dismay, she burst out crying as suddenly as a summer thunderstorm.

"It's…M-miss Ino!" she bawled, burying her face in her hands. "S-she's crazy!"

Kiba struggled to understand her over the sobs, but Yukari's accusation was crystal clear. He couldn't believe that Ino would go to such extremes to stop him from spending time with Yukari.

But the tears…the tears were real, splashing down Yukari's pretty face and dripping onto his bedspread. The bruise was real. His own state of mind was real.

Against all that evidence, and the sobbing girl next to him, he felt helpless and terrified and cold.

"We were…we were having such a wonderful time! But she…she showed up and _ruined _everything! She _did_ something to you and she…she…she hit me and threatened me!" As she cried, Yukari curled up next to him, and Kiba put a comforting arm around her. "I can't believe she would…she would _do_ that to us! Why can't she find someone else to be jealous of?"

Yukari sobbed harder. Before anything else, Kiba wanted her to stop crying.

"Hey…hey," he said, not knowing what else to say as he stroked her hair, thinking he shouldn't have messed with Ino. "It's okay. Look, I'll go and take care of Ino. It'll be okay."

Yukari shuddered in his arms. "No…please, please! Don't do anything! I want to be with you…I just want to be with you," she repeated softly, nuzzling into his neck.

Her tears continued to pour, dampening his shirt and pillow. Their conversation ended, and Kiba petted Yukari and murmured soothing things to her as she cried.

At long last, her crying tapered away. Her breathing evened out; she'd cried herself to sleep. But Kiba was a long ways from sleep.

Ino. What had she done? Everything Yukari told him- -Ino had the capacity to execute such underhanded retaliation. An aggressive urge to find and throttle Ino crashed into his system.

But logic dictated that if he went now, he would not be able to defend Yukari (or himself) under an onslaught from Ino. He had seen Ino in a full-tilt tirade; it wasn't a pretty sight. Kiba had to prepare for her cleverness, the verbal lashing he was sure to receive.

Although Kiba lacked details, he was sure he knew the whys and hows of his evening with Yukari: he imagined that Ino, enraged with jealousy, had followed him and Yukari. Ino must have slipped him something- -she was, after all, a med-nin.

That would explain why he couldn't remember anything after going with Yukari to the club. Incapacitated, Kiba had not been able to prevent Ino from hurting Yukari, physically and emotionally.

His jaw clenched as his muscles tensed- -he hadn't thought Ino as dishonorable as that. There were rules, _rules!_, shinobi followed, especially involving relationships with civilians, and he had expected Ino to obey them as faithfully as her teammates. And attempting to get to Kiba by beating up Yukari was just…just…

He didn't have an appropriate word to describe what she'd done.

Even though Kiba had made a conclusion based on evidence, several pieces of that night didn't fit. For example, why would Ino drag him home after going through the effort of getting him out of the way?

Had she felt sorry for him? Had she wanted to do something nice after what she had put Yukari through? Had she been repenting for her disregard to the rules?

Answers eluded him. Questions made his head ache. Slowly he stored away the questions. He would find Ino and get some answers; while he was at it, he would make sure she left him and Yukari alone. For _good_.

Resolved, Kiba relaxed and closed his eyes.

When he woke up, Yukari had left. He smoothed the bedspread where she had lain, and he picked up a hint of lilac. It was still too sweet a smell for him, but what was worse was the funk that emanated from his own body.

Feeling motivated and better rested, Kiba left bed and showered. The steam and hot water cleared his head further, and when he scrubbed his arm, he found a little red hole on the inside of his elbow.

It looked like the kind of mark a hypodermic needle would make. Now who would he know who would have use for a hypodermic needle on him?

Ino had a lot of explaining to do.

Pounding on the bathroom door broke his thoughts. "KIBA?" His mother.

"YEAH?"

"YER ON CALL! HURRY YER ASS UP!"

Oh, good, he had a mission. Ino, and Kiba's problems with her, would have to wait.

**- -N- -**

Kiba rode on Akamaru, not having the energy to walk beside his animal companion. The mission hadn't been difficult- -but Kiba had been grumpy and pessimistic the entire time. Hinata, Shino, and Akamaru had not made mention of his negativity, only quietly accepting Kiba's dark mood and avoiding any confrontation that would agitate him.

It had been three days since he'd seen Yukari; five days since that ruined night with her. The mission had taken up his concentration and he had not had time to think about either Yukari or Ino, but now that the mission was over, the two of them dominated his mind.

Yukari and her sweetness, her tender admissions and touches versus Ino's red-hot looks and kisses and her blunt and sharp observations.

Yukari and her claims that Ino had sabotaged their evening brewed in Kiba's mind.

_You're awful quiet, _Akamaru growled.

Kiba didn't feel like talking. A nice, neutral response was in order.

"Hm."

Akamaru sighed, his chest cavity expanding and contracting. _What has you so upset?_

"Nothing."

Kiba glanced around to gauge how far they had left to go before home where he could hide in his room.

The nin-dog grunted in disbelief. _Yukari and Ino again, huh?_

There was no point in lying to someone who could smell it in him.

"Yeah."

_What's going on? _Akamaru tilted his head to look over his shoulder at Kiba.

"I don't know," Kiba admitted, having trouble assigning words to his churning thoughts and emotions. "I really like Yukari. But there's this…_thing_…with Ino…" he trailed off, trying to decide on the best way to describe the explosiveness he felt around Ino, looking at her, touching her…_kissing_ her.

Akamaru's ears popped. _Thing?_

"Yeah…_thing_. You know how we always fight?

_Hm-hm_.

"Well…it all changed when I went to get flowers for Yukari. One minute we were arguing, the next we were flat on the floor."

_That fast, huh?_ Akamaru chuckled.

Kiba didn't appreciate the humor his companion found in this very serious situation.

"You know what I mean. I never thought I'd find myself making out with _Yamanaka Ino_ of all people. And, goddamn, she was _hot!_" His internal temperature rose with the memory. "And what's more…I think about it all the time and I wonder what would have happened if we'd _really_ been by ourselves!"

_So what about Yukari? Sounds like you're pretty interested in Ino._

"No! I like Yukari because she _isn't _Ino. Yukari is cute and nice and straightforward. She doesn't mess with my head…like _Ino_."

Kiba felt his mood darken further into anger. "Ino as good as admitted that she was jealous of Yukari! And that night when I snuck out…I think Ino did something to me so she could mess up Yukari!"

The more Kiba thought about it, the more he realized he _didn't_ want Ino's damn explanations. What he _wanted _was for her to butt out of his life! How dare she stick a needle in him and then punch Yukari like that! The thoughts served to piss him off.

_I think you need to talk to Ino._

Akamaru had been silent so long Kiba had forgotten that they'd been in the middle of a conversation.

"No! No," Kiba replied, mind made up. "What I _need _to do is make Ino leave us alone! She's got no right to poke her nose into my business."

_Kiba. Ino is a shinobi. She wouldn't do anything without reason. Maybe you should find out why she did what she did_._ And besides that, she knows the laws regarding civilians. Why would she risk being charged with battery?_

His companion's reasonable tone upset Kiba further for no good reason except that Akamaru was being more rational than he.

"Fine. You want me to talk to Ino, then I will." Kiba hopped off Akamaru's back. He stepped away before calling over his shoulder. "I'll let you know what Ino's 'reasons' are for _battering_ a civilian."

Emotions boiled into every pore as Kiba stalked down the street, imagining all the cool and mean things he would say to Ino to get back at her for being a conniving bitch. It felt good to be aggressive and purposeful again. He tracked down Ino easily, senses heightened, not hindered, with his anger.

Ino had just exited the hospital, and there was some choppiness in her scent that spoke of stress. He caught up to her as she crossed the large cement square.

"Ino!" he called. She didn't slow her stride, so he called again, louder. "_Ino!_"

Ino continued walking and made Kiba think that she was ignoring him, so he sped up and yanked her around by her arm. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!"

At first it looked like she didn't recognize him, but then she blinked a few times and _saw_ him.

"Oh," she said. "Kiba. I was coming to find you."

The completely neutral way she said his name- -like she had done nothing wrong- -ratcheted up his already high emotion. He wanted to punch her, but settled for snarling and growling to convey his mood. Ino's scent fluctuated and a fear-smell gratified him some.

He jabbed a finger at her. "Just who the hell do you think you are?"

Ino stood in front of him and didn't answer for a long time. He wondered if she would play dumb.

She tucked her loose hair behind her ears and took a deep breath. "I see you've talked to Yukari."

"Yeah, I've talked to her! What the fuck?" he snarled. "You _hurt-_"

"I've got something important to tell you," she interrupted. "Just listen a second."

But Kiba wasn't there to listen. He shoved her a little and was pleased to see a startled expression cross her features.

"No. I have something to tell _you._" He lowered his voice to a threatening growl. "Stay away from my girlfriend. I'm not afraid to protect what's mine."

There. Kiba had said what he'd come to say. He turned and didn't take but two steps before Ino yanked him around.

Her fury clearly surpassed any he'd seen from her before, and he felt bisected under the sharpness of her glare- -his anger didn't quite hide the nervousness her glare invoked.

"Shut up a second and let me _explain_," she hissed. "And if you _ever _shove me like that again, you'll regret it."

Each stared the other down. The atmosphere between them hummed. A huge fight had brewed, bigger than what Kiba had anticipated, and whatever the outcome, he knew it probably wouldn't turn out the way he imagined.

* * *

**A/N: **Well, well. Kiba made some pretty hasty decisions. You hope they don't bite him in his butt, but _I _do. =)


	6. Fighting

**A/N: **Yay! We're back with a new installment, dear readers. Prepare for a lot of information and a _ton_ of dialogue. Some of you may not be familiar with a certain technique of writing dialogue, so I'll make a brief explanation of it here. I don't want anyone leaving a 'Your punctuation skills suck!' message. =)

When a character has a huge block of dialogue, the reader's eyes get tired of seeing all that text. To break up the character's dialogue, I usually put in paragraph breaks. Not so unusual. But if the character speaks over many paragraphs, I don't end quote. For example:

"Pretend this is a character talking. (no end quote)

"And this is the same character talking, only after a paragraph break." (end quote)

I just don't want any of you to get confused when I don't use the end quote in breaking up blocks of dialogue. Before we start, I want to say a quick thanks to gman391 who helped with the backstory in this chapter. That aside, enjoy!

* * *

**VI. Fighting**

"She's no good for you," Ino continued tensely, her cheeks pink.

Kiba leaned forward. "_She's_ no good for me?" He couldn't believe this girl! "Yer the one who slaps me. Who…who is jealous enough to do anything to get what you want! _Deny it_," he shouted, "_deny yer jealous!_"

Ino crossed her arms. "You're right. Better?"

"Deny you hit Yukari!"

"Now just a-"

Kiba cut her off. "Deny it!"

"I don't."

"How can you possibly stand there and tell me _she's_ no good? _How_?"

He punctuated his point with another shove, testing dangerous waters. She smacked his hands down, and he could see her iron will straightening out her spine as she prepped an offensive strike. Kiba expected no less.

"Because I'm not gonna roll over and let one of _my_ comrades ruin his life!" Ino lowered her voice. "That girl's only out to get into your pants. Everything you think she feels for you is _fake_. She's a liar!"

Kiba wanted to tell Ino that having a girl get in his pants was _exactly _what he wanted, but he chose to ignore the point and address the insult on Yukari's honesty. But deep in his heart, he felt the panic, and the feeling that Ino was right, gnawing at him.

"You have no idea what yer talkin' about," he growled. "How dare you tell me she's dishonest. _Yer_ the damn liar!"

Ino stared at him and said nothing, letting his words linger in the air between them. Her long pause nerved him up, and when she grabbed him by the jacket to get in his face, the nerves clenched all the tighter.

"No," she said, lowly, shaking him. "How dare _you_. I have _never_ lied to you. And how dare you place more value on some…some _chit_ you've known for not even a month than on a _comrade _who's known you since fucking preschool, who has fought shoulder to shoulder with you!" Her voice had risen. "How dare you devalue me like that!"

"_Devalue you_?" Kiba sputtered as he ripped her hands from his jacket. "We hate each other, Ino! Why do you care so much about what happens between me and Yukari?"

That question seemed to back her down, but she answered fiercely nonetheless. "Because you deserve better."

"_You_?"

A pause as her piercing eyes lowered. "No. It doesn't have to be me. Just not _Yukari_! Just don't choose _her_!"

Kiba didn't understand…what Ino said defied everything Kiba expected of her. He expected Ino to threaten and howl, to declare herself the best choice. Was this another mind game? He found he didn't know.

When she only waited for his response, the confusion tempered his anger; suddenly, he realized he couldn't take this anymore, and he decided he was done arguing with Ino.

"This is stupid. You've made up some crazy excuse to turn me against Yukari. I don't have to listen to this."

Again, he turned to leave…and froze when Ino's arms enclosed him from behind. His confused anger evaporated in the shock. Her contact with several erogenous spots- -back, stomach, chest- -sent heat streaking straight through him. He'd been short of breath before from his anger, but now he noticed how heavily he breathed.

Her lips brushed against the back of his neck as she spoke. "How do you feel about Yukari?"

She waited for his response, impressing slow kisses on his nape, driving him wild inside. He licked his dry lips and tried to ignore Ino's closeness, the heat, the want coiling in his stomach.

"Uh. That question…doesn't, um, make any…s-sense."

"Yes, it does," she answered. She inhaled slow and deep, then released a rush of warm breath that he felt to his toes. "Hmm. You smell like camp fire."

All he could think about at the moment was the phantom heft and feel of her breasts, the nub that had grazed his palm. Her hands had again unzipped his jacket, and now traversed slo-owly down over his torso. Dizziness increased when those hands slipped under the hem of his shirt.

His muscles skittered, and embarrassment burned when he realized how his body had responded to her touch. The tightness in his pants had become uncomfortable.

"You should breathe," Ino whispered.

Her voice raised the hairs on his neck, sent little shimmers of nerves all along his spine. She was right- -he'd been holding his breath.

One breath wasn't enough. He panted for it as her hands wandered up to caress his chest and ribs with seductive touches.

"Does she make you stop in your tracks like this?" One hand steadied him against her, as the other dropped lower, lower. "Does she make you break into a sweat like this? Pant like this? _Burn_?"

Her hand dipped under the waistband of his pants, fingers carding dangerously low along his abdomen. She made him shake so much, he lifted his own hand to stop hers from progressing further, but he'd moved the wrong one- -she hooked his left arm in the crook of her left elbow, immobilizing his arm in one swift movement.

After this slight scuffle, it took Kiba a second to comprehend- -in his pants, oh, God…she'd cupped him with her hand.

His eyes shut. All of his muscles went rigid; heat, throbbing heat, as she gently squeezed his tight balls, eliciting a groan from him. When she passed her palm over the curve of his hard-on, he groaned again with the burst of pleasure the touch generated.

Ino stroked him with agonizing slowness. At this point, if he didn't stop her, he'd blow his load right there in her hand. The idea of release sent another wave of pleasure crashing through him.

Some part of his mind pictured him fucking Ino from behind; the pale back and shining hair were so present and vivid, he jumped when Ino's hand rubbed him a little harder and nearly exploded then.

He wanted this, he wanted this so bad he could scream…but…he couldn't for reasons he couldn't fathom in his current state; he just knew he _couldn't_.

"Ino…don't do this to me."

Her hand shifted to rest just under his belly, stilled. "Why not?"

Kiba swallowed hard, scrambled for a sensible answer. "I don't understand this."

Okay, not a very sensible answer, but an honest one. He really _didn't _understand 'this': the situation, what she did to him, how he felt about it and her…everything. When he was with her, she toyed with him- -the hand caressing his stomach and places below a case in point. He lost control around her and didn't understand that, either.

"You don't understand attraction?" she asked, a tinge of incredulousness in her voice. "You of all people should understand it."

The spell was broken- -Kiba felt as much. He gently removed Ino's hand with the one not wrenched up his back. Ino, thankfully, released the hold she had on that aching arm and stepped back. At this point, any cooperation he got from her was a godsend.

Wincing with the movement, he touched his left shoulder. It was sore, giving him a much-needed distraction from the temper-tantrum his body threw for not getting that precious release. Kiba looked across at her, straight in the eye.

"No. I understand attraction. I don't understand _this_." He gestured vaguely between them to indicate what he meant. "I don't know, and I don't like it."

She stood there, face in high flush, blonde hair streaming around her face, eyes boring into him. Her hips and breasts formed perfect curves under the civilian t-shirt and shorts, and he suppressed an urge to reach out and run his hands over her.

Kiba was attracted to her- -but a problem still remained. Here he stood confused and turned-on and upset because of Ino. He didn't feel relaxed around her; a small piece of him had always mistrusted her, mistrusted her even now.

"Let me get this straight," Ino replied quietly. "You don't understand something, so you don't like it."

She still didn't get it. "Look, I don't understand my feelings where _you _are involved."

This experience with Ino had exhausted him beyond exhaustion. His bones felt made of lead. He wanted to finish this argument and go home.

"Are you a moron?" She looked at him like he had two heads. "Seriously. Are you?"

A spurt of anger revived him. "Knock it off, blondie. All I'm saying is that I can't identify what's going on between us. It's confusing. And to answer yer other questions, no. Yukari doesn't do all that to me, but that's why I like her."

Ino's eyes narrowed. "You like her because you're _not _attracted to her?"

"I'm attracted to her enough." Kiba shrugged, continued slowly. "But I'm under my own control. I'm not confused. I understand the..." he gestured with a hand, "the feelings."

"Yukari doesn't confuse you? Hm-_hm_." She started ticking off fingers. "Why would she say yes to a date right away?" Her voice rose in volume. "Why would she take you to a night club? Why does she hero-worship you so much? Why does she- -hey!"

He had grabbed her arm and tugged her sharply to stop her tirade. "I have questions about you, Ino! All these questions, and somehow you generate _more _questions! Yukari isn't the problem, here, it's _you_. I'm confused about _you_!"

"Stop!" she shouted, jerking her arm from his grip. "This isn't about me. It's about Inuzuka Kiba and his damn life!"

"ARGH!" Kiba growled, clasping his head in his hands. "_This is exactly what I'm talking about_! It IS about you!"

"_No, it's not_!"

He dropped his hands from his head and glared at her. "_Yes, it is_!"

"You _are_ a moron!"

"And yer a stupid bitch princess, who _never _SHUTS UP!"

The intensity of his bark quieted her- -her mouth bowed down- -and they both consciously shifted back, having leaned forward in their aggression. They stared at each other for several moments. Then Ino swallowed and visibly relaxed.

"This isn't helping either of us," she said, more to herself than to him. Louder, she continued. "We both know this arguing is stupid. Agreed?"

Her change in tactics had suspicion creep up on him. Was this a trap? He hesitated, looking her over as he wondered what would happen if he remained silent.

She prompted him, patiently. "Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"We're both shinobi, and so we should discuss this situation like shinobi. Agreed?"

Where was she going with this? "Agreed."

She sighed. "Shinobi need evidence to back up theories and claims. If I have it, will you listen to the evidence?"

He only looked at her for a moment, trying to decide where the trap lay. Her suggestions were sound, both stated with reason and clarity. For Ino to so obviously control her anger was rare- -and serious.

Kiba, knowing that she was right, had to acquiesce. "I'll listen to the evidence. But I make my _own_ decision. You'll have to accept what I decide. Agreed?"

Ino licked her lips, looking aside for a second, but she nodded. "Agreed."

Facing her in a temporary truce made him feel flighty, nervous, mainly because he didn't know what would happen next. At least in a fight, he could predict her movements. She turned around and addressed him over her shoulder.

"I need something to drink, and we need somewhere more private to talk."

Wordlessly, Kiba submitted to her and followed her across the cement square and into the bustling hospital. As they turned down corridors, Kiba struggled to keep his eyes anywhere _except _her butt. Just the way the shorts accentuated the cheeks, all the fabric smooth without underwear lines, drew his eye.

He bet she wore a thong. He wondered what color it was…maybe devil red…or she seemed the pink-lacey type. Hm…what would she look like with a cute bra and panty set…little pink rosebuds between her breasts and one between her-

Before the thought could continue, the scent of food prevailed, and Ino swung around one last corner and into the cafeteria. She was right about their privacy. A few scattered surgeons and nurses ate at small cheap tables. Windows drew in the natural light, and several verdant plants sat along the walls.

Ino chose a table in a far corner and plopped a shoulder bag on the table between them. In his blind anger, he hadn't noticed the bag when he first saw her.

"Wait here for a minute. I'll be right back," she said.

He watched as she washed her hands in a convenient sink, then as she strode up to the soda machines. Ino bought two, having trouble with the first and second buttons before punching the third one and getting their drinks.

She must have seen his amusement with her aggravation because as she crossed the cafeteria, she looked right at him and shook up his soda.

He took it from her and gestured with it. "Hey! Why'd you do that?"

Ino shrugged, twisting the cap off hers. "I don't have very good impulse control."

She sipped, and Kiba noticed the contraction of her throat. He wanted to nibble her.

"Now," she said, setting the soda to the side, "to business."

Like a great professional, Ino reached into the bag and withdrew a plastic accordion folder. She snapped the band free and flipped it open.

A pause to look at him. "Are you ready?"

"I'll say yes, but probably not."

"Well, first things first. You need a history lesson."

Her fingers walked over the sections to the one she wanted. She withdrew several pages. They fluttered as she placed them in front of him, several long pieces highlighted in fluorescent yellow.

"A long time ago, before shinobi villages, the daimyo had a personal military. These soldiers were…less than discreet with their sexual relationships. Many civilians came to the daimyo, claiming that their young and _unmarried_ daughters were being impregnated by the military.

"These civilians wanted compensation for their pregnant daughters. To give compensation, and to make the military responsible for their offspring, the daimyo passed a law."

She pointed at a highlighted section. "The law states that any military personnel who impregnates a woman _must_ marry that woman. As you can imagine, the soldiers were less than pleased and _still_ would not take responsibility for fathered children, accusing the women of being loose and that the unborn child could be _anyone's _child.

"So, the daimyo granted civilian women something called 'A Right to Claim'." Ino flipped the pages and pointed. Kiba looked and saw the words in miniscule font. "A Right to Claim allows civilian women to 'claim' the so-called father of her child as her husband. And a marriage boom resulted.

"To sweeten the marriage deal, the daimyo allowed married military men to have better pay than their non-married comrades. However, the majority of the military got scared straight and started behaving itself. Less and less women used A Right to Claim.

"After a few years, the law faded into the background. Then shinobi villages were started. Shinobi are still military, but _elite _military that makes _even more _money than plain military. And this law that faded, but not _quite_ forgotten, had a backlash result. Can you guess what that was?"

Kiba's heart clenched in his chest. He felt cold. "What?"

"Something civilian women call 'catching a shinobi'. You see," another page flip, "shinobi make great money. They are also revered- -the cream of the cream. If a married shinobi is K.I.A., the stipend for a widow is sufficient for comfortable living. However, if a shinobi child resulted from the union, the stipend is…more generous.

"So, for some single, civilian women, the only comfortable lifestyle they can hope to obtain is through marriage to a shinobi. But how to get a shinobi to marry?"

Ino's finger rested on the words 'A Right to Claim'.

Kiba had to speak around the lump in his throat. "But that's for pregnancy."

"I know," Ino smiled. "I'll narrow it more. How does one become pregnant with a shinobi's child?"

Oh, God, this information terrified him. The coldness he felt made him weak.

"How?" He could barely speak.

"A civilian woman has to become impregnated with a shinobi's child to use A Right to Claim. You know this. But how? How to catch a shinobi? The answer?" He didn't want to know. "Charm. Wit. Hero-worship. Naïveté. _Drugs_."

"D-drugs?"

"Yes, _drugs._" She made it sound so…so insidious.

Ino pulled another sheet from the folder and slapped it down in front of him. "Your blood that night you spent with Yukari tested positive for G.H.B- -date rape drugs." She tapped the sheet of paper. "I had an objective source run the test. Your blood is already on file, so we used that as a control."

The chart seemed incomprehensible to him; his head swarmed with the destructive information as Ino continued.

"I had my suspicions about Yukari. She seemed so sweet, so nice. And you…you're such a nice guy. I was happy for you. But then…I worried. What if she wasn't so nice? What if she was trying to catch you?

"So that day you and she came into the flower shop, I followed you when you left. I had to sneak into the club…I _saw _her dump some powder into your drink. I couldn't intervene until I knew for sure…Yukari and an older woman, I think her mother, took you to a room. I waited until the mother left, and then I made my move."

Ino stopped her narrative. Kiba sat, staring at the papers in front of him. It all made sense. The hole in his arm _had _been from Ino, but not to inhibit him. The little flashes of memory he had made sense of what she said. The evidence was there in front of him.

But…"Where did that drug come from? I don't even remember tasting or smelling it."

Ino's hand covered his. "Think about where you were. Smoke. Noise. Yukari had to shout to get you to hear her. Your senses were overloaded already. It's no wonder you didn't taste or smell the drug in your drink."

Kiba didn't feel any better about making the mistake and kept his eyes down. Ino removed her hand and another sheet of paper slid into his line of sight.

"The drug itself is illegal, but can be obtained on the black market. Or if not the product, then the formula. As you can see, the products in the formula can be found at any grocery store or pharmacy and can be made in your average kitchen."

He looked up. "Ino. Um. Am-am I still…is Yukari…?" The words stuck in his throat, choked him and made him feel sick.

"Is Yukari still a virgin? Yes. Luckily enough for _you,_ I stopped any sexual intercourse. She's not gonna be pregnant with your child."

He went quiet for a full minute, adjusting to the relief her answer provided him. Even though he and Ino always argued, she was his comrade, and he should trust her absolutely and without question because of that. Her information was trustworthy. He had no doubts.

Kiba looked across the table at her as she sipped her soda, another question coming to his mind.

"How did you know? As far as any of us are concerned, this whole deal is just a fairy tale…something our mothers make up to keep us from terrorizing civilian chicks. Where did all this research come from?"

Ino sipped from her drink. "I don't know what you mean."

The way she answered told him volumes. He pressed her. "How did you know?"

"That's classified."

"How. Did. You. _Know_."

Another sip from her drink. "I can't tell you."

Fine, if that's the way she wanted to be- -"If you want me to decide in yer favor, you'll tell me."

She licked her pretty lips and wouldn't meet his eye. He watched as she struggled with some inner conflict before drawing out some more papers. Her hormones had been all over the place, but now he detected sadness and upset even before he saw the shine in her eyes.

"You have to swear not to tell anyone else what I'm about to show you."

What secret was this? "I swear."

"I mean it, Inuzuka. On the Hero Stone."

"I swear it on the Hero Stone."

Ino took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. "I know because my mother caught my father."

* * *

**A/N: **Oh, teenagers, how you amuse me. =)


	7. Revelations

**A/N: **It's that time again, friends! Thanks to all of you who have given me feedback and who have dropped notes, and a big hug for PSI Teleport and my buddy Josh, both of whom helped with critiquing the chapter.

On a side note, I've been battling our canon-ators about the timeframe set up in this story. I was generally hoping that most of you would play "Let's Pretend" and ignore the fact that the Pein arc hasn't occurred yet, nor _will _it occur within the context of the story. For now, please enjoy the story as happens. =)

* * *

**VII. Revelations**

Kiba thought he'd heard incorrectly. "_What?_"

"My mother caught my father."

Ino gestured at the paper, and he perused the official marriage document as she continued.

"I had always wondered why _my_ mother wasn't a shinobi like the other moms. So I asked her how she met my dad. Why did he marry her if she wasn't shinobi? She told the story, but I could tell she was leaving something out. So I asked my dad. He'd gotten her pregnant and had to marry her to make things right.

"I got curious and did some research. I found out about A Right to Claim and that my mother had used it to marry my father. I confronted her with this information...she admitted that she had intentionally gotten pregnant to catch a shinobi."

Kiba looked at her for the longest time, as she coolly sipped her drink. For her to find out that her parents' marriage had been based on a trick- -it must have been devastating.

"Ino," he finally said, "I'm sorry."

She smirked. "It's not your fault. God, I was so upset…I made my mother's life a living hell. But then I realized I could use what she knew to my advantage."

"What she knew?"

"Kiba." Ino shook her head. "Kiba, Kiba, Kiba. There are older women who train civilian girls to be pleasing to shinobi men. If I could learn what she knew, I could ferret out other 'catchers' _and_ hone my skills as a kunoichi."

"Wait. Just as _we _are trained, these…girls…are trained too?"

"Exactly." She reached across while she let the information digest and opened his soda bottle for him. "Here, you need to take a moment before it gets worse."

"It gets _worse_?"

Ino nodded, handing the bottle to him. He needed more than _a_ moment, but he didn't speak the thought. The soda tasted good and sweet, and he felt the coldness run down his throat to his stomach. He sighed, wishfully thinking about his soft bed.

Then Kiba steeled himself. "Okay. Hit me."

"Yukari is trained to catch herself a shinobi. She won't stop until she gets married to you."

The implication Ino had put out on the table up until those words had been tolerable. He could ignore what she had been getting at. But now she had made the accusation and had delivered the evidence like a pro. _That_ he couldn't ignore- -especially since what seemed like a dozen kunai gouged his heart.

He played it off. "That's supposed to be worse news?"

Ino cocked her head a little. "Kiba, how do you think she's going to take it when you try breaking up with her?"

"Cry a lot, yell…I don't know! I've never broken up with anyone before!"

"Listen. Like shinobi, Yukari is trained to be manipulative and persistent. She's not gonna let you walk out the door without a fight. This is her life we're talking about!"

All she said made his head swim. "So what?"

"So-o, you need to prepare for your confrontation with her."

"Are you _serious_? What's she gonna do? Throw down girlfriend-no-jutsu?"

Ino outright laughed, the sound tinkling and pleasant. Heat curled in the pit of his stomach from it and because of it, he moodily sipped his soda. Why did she have to have such a lovely laugh?

After a few moments, she continued. "Okay. But for argument's sake, let me impersonate her and see how well you do."

Kiba rolled his eyes at her absurd suggestion. "Yeah, yeah. I don't think it's necessary. Why can't we go to the police with my blood sample? The drug's illegal, and when she's arrested, that'll be that."

"Look. It's not that simple. Civilians have unparalleled sway in these matters. And it's not Yukari you have to worry about, it's who _trained _her. You have to find out who's enabling her activities. Confronting Yukari is the means to rooting out whoever's behind this in the first place."

"You're being ridiculous."

But what she said made sense. Yukari was a lackey, a follower, and not the brains of the operation. Teachers and masters had the knowledge and plans; soldiers did as they were told and trained.

"Trust me." She waved dismissively at him. "Go wait for me outside. I have to get in character."

There was no point in arguing. "Don't take forever."

She nodded, searching in her bag for something, so he stood and exited the cafeteria, then the hospital. He felt stupid standing around. A bench in the shade looked tempting, so he walked over to sit down to wait.

The whole last couple of hours had been a swirl of conversation, words and phrases and raised voices that made his brain swim. He rested his head on the back of the bench and stared at the sky through the leaves.

Why had Yukari done this to _him_? Weren't there easier targets out there besides him? A stupid voice mentioned that it was _he _who was the easy target. That stung him in the soft of his heart.

A girl had warped his trust to her advantage. Someone was _behind_ the girl who had warped his trust. Those revelations added salt to his wounds and he could do nothing to ease the pain.

It wasn't fair. He had trained to be able to protect himself, his comrades, and his village, so why hadn't he been able to protect his heart? He should have seen. He should have seen that a girl had been tricking and seducing him.

And he'd been stupid enough to think otherwise. Hurt intensified, forming an icy knot in the middle of his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to disperse the agony and ignore the tears behind his eyeballs. Almost sixteen was too young to be having these kinds of problems.

A presence sat on the bench beside him- -Kiba scented Ino. Her scent helped soothe him marginally. The forming tears dissipated.

"Hi, Kiba." Yukari's voice pulled the knot tighter.

Kiba opened his eyes, rolling his head to look over. Seeing Yukari had an instantaneous effect. The ice cracked his chest apart and hot anger gushed through him. The powerful combination of hurt and rage choked him.

He forced his throat to work. "Change out."

"What?" Yukari leaned forward. "What's wrong?"

"Ino. Change out." He was losing his control over the emotions. "_Change out, goddammit._"

Whether she reacted to his words or the sound of his voice, Kiba didn't know. The gentle poof and the smoke indicated the release of the jutsu. He hadn't seen her fingers move. A second later, Ino looked at him, perturbed.

"Kiba…?"

He didn't stop himself from leaning over and kissing her. The fury and cold agony backed away to a dull throb, one that didn't fight him for control. He felt Ino hesitating, and without thinking, Kiba hooked an arm around the back of her head.

More. He wanted more of the relief Ino immersed him in. Angling his head to deepen the kiss, Kiba used teeth and tongue to extract what he wanted from her. Her taste, the smooth feel of her tongue, sparked the arousal in his stomach.

She whimpered when he bit down on her bottom lip, and Kiba forced himself to pull away. The feelings were a dangerous combination- -he knew if he wasn't careful, he'd make a mistake- -and besides, they didn't need everyone to see them making out.

Ino's heavy-lidded eyes fluttered, and Kiba felt her chest rising and falling between them; her scent charged up his nose, hooking into his brain, making his muscles ache.

"Oh, poor Kiba," she whispered. She stroked the side of his face. "Poor, poor Kiba."

Ino understood him. He cupped her hand against his cheek, enjoying the warmth her fingers generated. When she tilted her head, he received a kiss- -sort of like a kiss shared by two people who've been together a long time. It extinguished the hot anger and left him feeling hollow and sick.

"Let's go do something," she said suddenly, and stood. Her hands clasped his.

"Like what?"

She smiled. "I don't know!"

"Ino…"

Kiba didn't feel like prowling around; he wanted to go off and lick his wounds.

But Ino had pulled him from the bench, and to his surprise, she twined her fingers in his. Her enthusiasm and cheer traveled straight up his arm and refused to let him complain or beg off, since she had essentially saved his ass.

"It's close to noon- -we should get some lunch," she said. "I heard about a new bookstore opening, so if we're in the mood, we can go check it out."

Ino continued filling their day with 'maybe this' and 'we could'. Mostly Kiba listened as she spoke, giving her noncommittal grunts here and there and nodding when she looked over at him.

But his thoughts continued to dwell on Yukari and her 'catching' him. Hadn't she thought that she could get him by being herself? She didn't seem to be so manipulative; her shy nature seemed so opposite one capable of such a devious act. Thinking of Yukari and her plans served to aggravate the headache pounding at the base of his skull.

Abruptly, Kiba found that Ino had brought him to a hole-in-the-wall place he'd never seen before.

"This place is _great_," she told him. "Cheap, fast, and good."

"Sounds like you're taking me to a brothel."

The bawdy joke was out before he could stop it, and as he mentally inserted his foot into his mouth, Ino threw her head back and laughed.

"That was funny," she said between peals. "I love your sense of humor."

She'd complimented him. In that small way, she'd been able to boost his ego a little, so when they sat and Ino ordered for both of them right away, he gladly let her and didn't make a fuss. As the waiter left, Ino gazed at him, but her eyes and face were unreadable.

Her arms were under the table. Inside his head, he heard a click- -or he felt it, like he'd made a mental connection to something. Without warning, the headache eased and his stomach and hurt feelings settled. Kiba rubbed the back of his neck, wanting to tell Ino he felt weird.

As the words formed, she smiled at him. "Tell me how your mission went."

And before he knew it, he was relating the entire mission to Ino. She watched him intently, and he had the feeling she was soaking his words up, trapping them inside her clever mind for later conversation. He liked being her sole attention.

Their food came, and still he talked, not even sure what he talked about, but that it felt good to share with her. When he finished speaking, she asked another question, and their conversation came so easily, so naturally, that before he knew it, they had finished lunch and headed out the door.

Ino turned to him and cradled his face in her hands. Her eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

"You are so cute!"

Then she kissed him lightly- -once, twice, three times in rapid succession on the mouth. Her lips twisted with pure mischief when his mind stalled out.

"What next?"

Kiba didn't know what the swelling in his chest was. It felt like a balloon had expanded with a vibrancy he'd never felt before. The vibrancy snuffed out the hurt he'd suffered from Yukari's motives, and it dawned on him that Ino was comforting him. He decided to let her, even if that meant she got her way.

"That bookstore. Why don't we go there?" he answered.

"I was hoping you'd say that!"

They strolled down the street, holding hands with their fingers threaded together and making observations and light commentary that didn't mean anything, yet meant everything.

When they showed up at the bookstore, Kiba watched Ino's excitement grow as she stopped to gaze at the store front.

"This is lovely," she whispered.

No way was she a nerd. Her reaction didn't fit with what he expected from her, since he had always thought of her as an airhead snob. And he wasn't sure how he felt about his changing perception of Yamanaka Ino.

"You like books?"

"I love them." She looked at him, admiration in her features. "I can't read enough. What about you? Do you read?"

Voraciously, he wanted to say, but that would only serve to impress her.

"If something interests me, then I'll read it." He didn't mention his sister's shelves of romance novels. "Otherwise, I'm more interested in video games."

Ino laughed as they entered the store. Kiba followed her and amusedly watched as she turned into a book-buying whirlwind. She chattered about each new discovery or pointed excitedly if something caught her eye.

And he? He turned into her pack-mule. A stack of about seven books had accumulated in his arms. Kiba juggled them and couldn't quite keep the smirk off his face.

At one point she stopped. "What?"

"Hm?" Kiba had been enjoying the sound of her voice than really listening. "Is there something wrong?"

Ino tilted her head. "I was about to ask you that. If you want to leave, it's not a problem…just tell me."

Her concern endeared her to him and he settled the books on a convenient shelf. Thoughtfully, Kiba brushed her hair back from her face, and shifted closer to her, wanted to melt into her. The balloon in his chest expanded again. The expansion put the words he felt in his mouth.

"No," he whispered, "I don't care where we are as I long as I'm with you."

Whoa. Had he said what he _thought _he said?

Ino blushed and looked at him from under her eyelashes. "Oh. Okay."

His fingers curled in white-gold and he found himself kissing her. Their lips must have been magnetized because Kiba had never made the conscious decision to lean over and press his mouth against hers.

The atmosphere intensified between them as the strange, swelling emotion tried to pass through him to her, like he wanted to communicate with Ino through _feelings _alone. Air caught in his lungs; he felt dizzy and stirred up…_needy_. The kiss had morphed into something so different, he hardly recognized it anymore.

"Hi, you two," a cheerful girl sang from behind him. "Am I interrupting something?"

The stupid girl, indeed, interrupted the kiss. Working his fingers loose from Ino's hair, Kiba immediately disliked the fake syrupy tone of this rude girl. Couldn't she _see _that they were busy? He whipped around, ready to punch the bitch, before he noticed the pink bob.

Ah, shit. Sakura. Instantly Kiba subdued the forming snarl- -she would pound him into a pulp if he showed her his teeth unmitigated. Then his eyes registered yellow-black-orange.

Behind Sakura was none other than Naruto, who had a curious and expectant lift to his eyebrows. Great. Konoha's number-one knuckle-headed loudmouth secret-spilling ninja.

"Oh, my God," Ino said. Kiba detected her anxiety even as she cleared her throat and shifted to stand beside him. "Hi, guys! What's going on?"

Sakura's mouth twisted into that playful smirk he'd often seen Ino affect.

"Well, we were about to ask you the same. I didn't expect to find either of you in a bookstore." She paused, that smirk growing wider by the second. "With each other."

"Yeah, I can't believe you guys were kissing!" Naruto agreed loudly. A shit-eating grin spread on his face. "Kiba and Ino, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-" Kiba felt Ino tense.

At '-S-I-N-G', he had rudely grabbed Naruto's jacket front.

"Shuddup!" Kiba snapped. "You don't have to announce it to the damn world."

"Whoa, geez," Sakura said, and although her grip on Kiba's wrist was gentle, he relinquished Naruto's jacket before his bones broke. That stupid grin on Naruto's face remained, which indicated bad things to come.

Sakura continued, releasing him. "We're teasing. When did you guys start going out?"

When Ino spoke up, her voice sounded ice-bitch cold. "That's personal. And besides, we're deciding if we like each other enough."

"It looks like you like each other just fine," Naruto replied as he wiggled his eyebrows. "The way you were sucking face."

Kiba growled. "It wasn't 'sucking face', idiot."

"You act like you don't want anyone to know you're dating," Sakura said. "Why's that?"

"Look, it's a little complicated. Can you just keep it to yerselves?" Kiba glanced to Ino for support. "We don't even know if we're gonna last past today."

Kiba felt Ino rest her hand in the small of his back under his jacket. Whether she did it to encourage him or praise him, he wasn't sure, but he liked the light pressure and warmth.

"He's right. This is an experiment, so there's no reason to go around saying we're dating," Ino added, voice still icy. "It'll be a hassle to stop the rumors if we decide to stay single, which will probably happen."

"I don't know," Naruto hedged, shrugging his shoulders. "I might need an ice cream cone to keep my mouth busy."

"Isn't that supposed to be Sakura's job?" Kiba asked gruffly.

Sakura blushed at his question, while Ino nudged him as if to say, 'Good one'. A corner of Naruto's mouth curled, and his arm snaked around Sakura's waist.

"Yeah," Naruto said, "but her mouth finds business _other_ places."

If it weren't attached, Kiba's jaw would have hit the floor. He stared at Sakura, whose blush had deepened further, if possible, and he thought, Sakura's the pervert?

"S_hut UP!_" Sakura's fists had clenched at her sides. "We broke up, _remember_? _And you promised not to say anything!_"

At the danger bells going off in his head, Kiba slid a few steps back. The show would be spectacular, but he wasn't suicidal. He looked over, his eyes snagged Ino's, and they shared a secret glance that said, 'This'll be good'.

Kiba broke the gaze to see what was happening between Naruto and Sakura. Currently, Naruto backpedaled, casting helpless glances at Kiba; Sakura stalked after Naruto, fury evident in the several veins popping out of her forehead.

Ino laughed at them and moved forward to catch Sakura's arm. "If an ice cream cone can bribe you, then fine, we'll spring for ice cream. For both of you."

Naruto gave a thumbs-up. "All _right!_"

Kiba wasn't the least surprised when Naruto dashed for his life out of the store, since Ino had ahold of Sakura.

"Sakura," Ino said. She tugged her friend back. "I have to buy some books. Meet us out there, okay?"

Sakura looked to be aggravated, and Kiba heard it in her voice. "Sure. No problem."

When Sakura had left, Ino turned to Kiba, and covering her eyes, sighed heavily.

"What a disaster," she groaned.

Without answering, Kiba brought Ino closer to hug her; she nestled her face into the crook of his neck. As it had with their interrupted kiss, time faded to meaninglessness.

Kiba's whole body absorbed her closeness, sucking in her scent and presence and heat, like she had become essential to his life at the cellular level- -breathing, beating heart, eating, drinking, Ino. The idea seized him and dipped cold fingers into his stomach.

"Let's get going." She released him; his body mourned, panicked, _screamed_. "Each second they're left alone is another second they speculate."

He watched her walk away, his feelings as mixed up as ever, but he didn't want to think about it. Kiba went after her, and as she purchased the small stack of books, he smoothed down her hair with his hand and considered a niggling idea.

The gesture had Ino glancing at him. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah."

"You seem a little…dazed." The cashier handed Ino the receipt as she shuffled the books into her shoulder bag.

"No, I'm fine."

Ino scrutinized him. "If you say so."

"Hey, wait a second."

Kiba stopped her from leaving; he didn't know what had possessed him, and he prepared for embarrassment at an epic level. She stood and waited for him.

"What is it?"

"Come home with me."

She visibly hesitated. "Hunh?"

"For dinner. Come home with me for dinner."

"Like, with your family? Your mother and sister?"

He laughed at her look. "Yeah, with my family."

"Why?"

Kiba didn't have an answer to her question; he wanted to share her with his family because he liked her company and thought they would too. And he wanted to stay close to her as much as possible.

But he couldn't say that to Ino. "Are you scared, flower girl?"

Immediately Ino's features hardened. "No." Her lips pursed. "I'll go. But you owe me."

"Seems I owe you a lot."

"Are you coming?" Sakura called from the entrance of the bookstore. "Naruto's out here being embarrassing."

Kiba shared another look with Ino and together they moved toward the front of the store.

Ino spoke lowly in his ear. "I don't want your privacy to be invaded."

He understood what she meant- -his mother and sister would ask a lot of questions. _Private _questions. But he could deal with their curiosity and teasing if it meant more time spent with Ino.

Kiba smirked. "You know, you can invade my privacy any time you want."

If she had a comeback, she didn't say it since they were in the presence of perked ears.

Later that night, she made good on his offer and invaded his privacy in a way that he'd never forget.

* * *

**A/N: **Finally, some well-deserved happiness and affection for Kiba. =) Next stop: _Exploration_. See you then!


	8. Exploration

**A/N: **And...I'm back! Thanks to PSI Teleport and to my friend, Josh, who've both helped make my writing exceptional. Again, I thank _you_, the friendly reader, for hanging in with me thus far. I have a special treat for you. I'm guessing this chapter will make all my hardcore Kiba/Ino fans dance and cheer, and I'm sure the hits on this chapter will be off the charts. =) Enjoy.

* * *

**VIII. Exploration**

Kiba waved with Ino to Sakura and Naruto as they left for home.

"I hope that ice cream did the trick," Ino murmured beside him. She called out when Sakura waved back. "_See you later!_"

Kiba snorted. "Probably not. But it was a nice try."

When Sakura and Naruto turned a corner, Ino stopped waving and hooked her elbow with his to walk with him.

Ino nudged him. "So. Dinner with your folks. Any special surprises in store for me?"

"Mom and Hana'll definitely interrogate you." He smirked. "But you can handle it."

They strolled, bantering easily back and forth. When they arrived at the Inuzuka compound, it sat strangely quiet- -no dogs barked, no mother or sister yelled. Akamaru met them at the front door.

He 'spoke' to Kiba. _Your mom and sister are out on a mission. Dinner's up to you and…Ino? Does my nose deceive me?_

Kiba rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha, very funny. Yeah, she's here. Say hi, Ino."

To her credit, Ino reached out a sure hand and stroked Akamaru's head. "Good boy."

_Hm. Tell 'er she's a keeper._ Akamaru licked Ino's hand; she giggled and scratched under his chin. _Yep. Definitely a keeper._

"Sure." Yeah, right. "Have you eaten?"

_Yeah. I'm gonna hang around the back. See ya later._

At least Akamaru respected his privacy. Kiba turned to Ino. "So what do you want for dinner? My folks are on a mission."

Ino shrugged. "I could probably whip something up, if you don't mind me poking around the kitchen."

"Go for it."

Together they entered the house and rummaged around the cabinets. Ino found some noodles and vegetables; she said she thought she could make a good meal out of those ingredients. He hung out with her in the kitchen, talking and helping and sneaking pieces of carrots, and when they ate, it was like she'd been a missing part of his family.

Afterwards, they cleaned up and he dried the dishes while Ino washed them. It was then Kiba caught a whiff of himself; it wasn't pleasant.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower," he said as Ino started putting the dishes away. "You okay by yerself?"

She smiled over her shoulder. "Yeah. I'll see you in a bit."

Kiba left the kitchen, itching to be with her, but he knew he stunk. Not only did he owe it to Ino to smell decent, but the shower would also relieve some soreness and the thumping headache that he'd ignored up to now.

Once inside the bathroom, Kiba stripped and cranked up the hot water. He brushed his teeth as he waited for the water to warm, and when he slid open the glass door, steam billowed out. Perfect. He sighed in relief under the scalding water.

He stood still, letting his muscles relax. If his mother had been there, she'd pound on the damn door hollering at him to hurry it up. But she wasn't there.

Reluctantly, Kiba shampooed his hair. He wondered what Ino was up to. Probably snooping around, if he knew her. Ever since they'd been kids, she'd been interested in other people's business.

Maybe he should thank her for taking an interest in his love life. Kiba thought about the irony of that as he lathered his wash cloth. Well, he really didn't have to say it. Hadn't he been thanking her with his mouth since this morning?

Hm. And she had had her hand down his pants. Too bad they'd been in public; he really wanted to know if she would've kept touching him.

A knock on the glass startled him. His heart wobbled around, and then froze when he saw a very womanly figure, though blurred, on the other side.

"May I invade your privacy?"- -_Ino!_

Oh. God.

With renewed vigor, his pulse hammered in his throat.

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "Yeah."

Shit, _no_! He meant to hesitate, to think it through. Dammit! And now his stomach flip-flopped with anxiety. Ino was going to see him naked. No one had seen him naked since back when he'd been a five year-old nudist without a care in the world.

Then it occurred to him. Ino had _already _seen him naked- -the night that bitch Yukari had drugged him up-

The door slid open.

Air. He couldn't get any air. His hand found the wall, pressed desperately. A pale, slender leg, followed by hips, butt and back blanketed with lo-ong blonde hair. Breathe. An arm had reached out to the wall, the shoulders and a head appeared. Breathe. And then she was in, sliding the door shut.

He forgot his nerves when she turned to face him, and she flicked her hair over her shoulder, like saying 'I'm naked. No big deal'.

Kiba gawked. He knew he gawked, but he couldn't get over the fact that a naked girl was in the shower with him and _within reach_.

BOOBS! his mind screamed, mentally pointing at Ino's bare chest. BOOBS!

"Uhhh…" Words. His mind had stalled over BOOBS! "…uhh…"

Ino sidled closer; he hardly noticed her smirk among her other parts as his eyes scanned up and down, trying to take everything in at once, but only really noticing her blue eyes. Her arms circled his neck, her mouth rubbed his, she nibbled his lip, then…_bam_…reaction.

A growl vibrated his throat as his hands glided over the curves of her hips, around and up her back; the space between them no longer existed. An ache permeated from under his belly. In a matter of a few seconds, he'd become fully aroused.

On impulse, he smacked her ass, the wet slap satisfying him when Ino gasped and pulled back. Her eyes narrowed- -he was in trouble now, he thought. She shifted, bumping into him; slick skin, a nip at his jaw, and wonderful, deep heat generated from his nuts to his stomach.

"Step back," she whispered, "and turn around."

As he did as she said, it occurred to him to make a joke, but the nerves had returned unexpectedly, and he didn't want to sound like an idiot. Behind him, Ino remained perfectly silent.

Kiba felt light-headed enough to think about cooling the water. He reached out to the sides of the shower to keep himself balanced-

-and jumped out of his skin when her arms wrapped around him. The sudden adrenaline rush pulsated in his erection.

Ino spoke right into his ear. "I like to finish what I start."

Her voice was low and utterly sexy. The sound plunged down his spine, and as he shivered from it, he felt Ino's slippery skin (breasts!) against his back. She had lathered up with soap. Kiba shivered again.

"Step back a little." When he hesitated, she patted him. "I don't want the soap washing off."

"Oh." _What?_

Kiba shuffled backwards, worrying that he'd step on Ino's feet, but she seemed to be anticipating his steps. They came to a standstill, Ino's arms repositioning so that one remained around his waist and the other hooked around his arm and shoulder.

Her hand caressed his neck- -and he groaned from that soft touch, realizing how sensitive the skin on his neck was. At the same time, Ino passed her hand under his navel, and he felt her fingers carding through hair. Kiba's muscles twitched reflexively.

"Geez, Kiba, relax some." A hint of admonishment there, said with humor.

"I'm- -" he swallowed, "I'm trying."

How could he when a naked girl slithered across him?

Regardless, Kiba forced the tense muscles in his shoulders to relax. He didn't drop his arms, figuring he'd need the extra support soon enough if she did what he thought she was going to do. Oh, God, he hoped she finished what she started.

"That's better," Ino said, lightly scratching his belly. He wanted to turn around and temper her with a kiss. "Lean into me."

No way. He was too heavy for her. "I don't think-"

"Trust me. I've supported Chouji before."

"Ino…"

"_Lean_."

Her tone left no room for argument. Kiba eased back some. Then more until all his weight was on his heels.

"Better. Now make sure you breathe."

"Wha-?"

The question went unfinished as Ino locked one sudsy hand around his hard-on and stroked from base to head. Instant, intense pleasure burned through him. The sound in Kiba's throat wasn't quite a groan and not quite a gasp.

Ino giggled- -"I think you liked that," and stroked him again.

Then again. And again.

She didn't grip him too hard, but he felt the bumps and wrinkles in her hand. Without meaning to, Kiba trembled, straining for climax, hissing through his teeth when she tightened her grip.

Ah, it felt _so damn good_. He heard himself growl as he spun towards release. How could she know how to do this so well? The question evaporated when he registered an increase in her stroking speed.

Kiba couldn't even think past the heightened arousal buzzing his system; he'd been on edge for so long. _Too_ long.

Under a sudden spear of pleasure that lanced up his torso, his muscles flexed to board taut. Closer and closer he spiraled, a fevered pitch of feeling and need and _wanting…_

"C-c-coming," he gasped, "I'm…coming!"

The orgasm slammed him- -an insane contraction under his stomach, a whole-body arch. Heat lightning exploded like fireworks; shuddering, _simple_ release. The high lasted, not nearly long enough, but enough so that the tense anticipation loosened.

He didn't move. To move would require effort. He had none. Didn't want to move. A random thought went to wherever his jizz landed, but he couldn't care less.

Ino jockeyed him around and sat him on the small bench at the back of the shower. Energy drained, Kiba rested a shoulder and head against the wall. He felt like oozing to the shower floor.

Ino kissed his forehead, his mouth. "Better?"

He couldn't even nod his head. "Hm-hm."

"Good. Rest here- -I'm doing my hair."

From under heavy eyelids, Kiba watched Ino bathe. Now that sex was off his mind (sort of), he could admire her objectively. After her stint in the hospital, he'd thought she'd looked like an angel. Here in the shower, she could pass as some ethereal creature from the ocean depths.

In profile, her breasts were sizable and perky…the pink nipples acting like the cherry on a sundae. He liked the toned look of her back when she let the water stream through her hair, down, down, over her hips and thighs.

When she turned, the junction between her legs invaded his line of sight. He studied the triangle of blonde under her navel. What would she taste like there? The nudge at the back of his head to touch her with fingers and mouth, to explore that region, stirred him.

But first, he had to gather the strength to move. He had to stall her, slow her down so that she didn't get out before he was ready.

Kiba spoke with mocking suspicion. "So you seem pretty comfortable prancing around naked."

Ino paused; her mouth twitched. "I've had plenty of practice."

"Putting on shows for Nara and Akimichi?"

She struck a pose by cocking a hip and propping a hand on it. "Jealous?"

Outrageously. "You bet yer ass."

"I don't know if I should," she said, partially turning and bending to show him. "You want a piece of this too much."

It was the perfect set-up. He slapped her butt again.

"Ouch! That hurt, you jerk!"

A red handprint formed on the pale skin. Like a calling card.

Hunger panged through him; hunger for Ino's taste. Irresistible. That raw need worked to recover his energy more quickly than he had thought. He stood when she fully turned from him to rinse out her hair.

Closing in on her, he kept his voice low. "Yer right, I do want a piece of that."

She whipped around, shuffling backwards when she noticed his proximity. He liked her eyes wide, her lips slightly parted. She was his prey, but more than that, he wanted to give to her what she'd given to him. To show her he thought about her in the same way she thought about him.

Playfully rough, Kiba jerked her closer to plant a hard kiss on her mouth.

She made a sound, a whimper or moan, as she submitted to him. Her submission stoked that feral instinct, but this time, Kiba was able to control it enough to test the boundaries without overstepping them. He wrapped up her hair with his hand and tugged her head back to expose her neck.

Ino gasped. He feasted on her white throat, licking under her jaw to her pulse point, as he pressed her against the shower wall. His hand dove to her thighs and when she kept her legs tight together, he used a combination of his knee and teeth on her neck to spread them apart.

Curious, and wanting to please her, he touched the side of his finger to her. Her hips bucked, and she cried out. Hot slickness greeted the touch.

He didn't feel soap; he'd felt _her_. Some part of him had known that females showed their arousal differently, but still curious, he rotated his hand and rubbed a finger tip along that moist crevice.

Ino squirmed, cried out again. Her hands flew to his shoulders when he discovered a dip and slipped a finger inside her without resistance. Another buck, another cry. He added second finger, pushing them in further and drawing them out. Ino responded so violently- -muscles inside her clamping around his fingers- -that he hesitated.

Eyes pleading, Ino leaned to kiss him, whispering, "Do it again," as her fingers tangled in his hair.

A perverse, dark side wanted to torture her more, wanted her to cry and beg, but he had an infuriating taste for her he needed to meet. The time was now, so he didn't stop to question. He bumped her to the bench, sat her down.

Ino struggled weakly. "Why did you stop?"

He dropped to his knees, finding purchase on the wet floor tricky, but stable. Her legs snapped closed, apparently because she realized he could see everything from where he was.

Kiba shot her a dirty look as he ran his hands outside her thighs. "Relax some."

"Why? What're you doing?"

Oh, she didn't know. Even better. "Just relax for me."

He jammed his hands between her knees and pried her legs apart, but she didn't give much resistance. The hunger hurried him; a quick look at where he would land his mouth on the tempting pink folds. He licked his lips.

To his dismay she covered herself up with her hands. "You don't have to do that."

She'd caught on. He decided a little force was necessary.

"Move yer hands or I bite you."

Her hands didn't move. She didn't believe him? Quick as lightning he ducked his head and bit one wrist and then the other. Not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to show her he meant business.

She gasped and when the hands flinched back, they left her wide open. Kiba didn't think about it; he attacked her with his tongue. Several things happened at once.

Her hips bucked, which he had expected, and she groaned, which he had also expected. But he hadn't expected her legs to open further, giving him better access. And when her head banged against the shower wall, it just served to amuse him.

He slid his tongue all along where he had touched, using his whole tongue to taste her. The taste wasn't bad; different, maybe, but completely Ino and completely intoxicating.

More than the taste, he could smell her and her thick arousal so clearly, he felt filled by her. His own body responded, although not aggressively, heat warming his groin. As he lapped at her with long, careful strokes, he had never considered making a girl groan and arch would be like pleasing himself.

There was a spot he found (a little by accident) that made Ino grunt and twitch off the bench. After Kiba settled her back again, he tucked his arms under her thighs to hold her in place. Then he rolled his tongue over the spot, back and forth, back and forth. Her whole body strained; she shrieked.

Hips lifted, legs trembled as her arms flailed out, hands searching for purchase. There was the taste of her again, stronger, and Ino shrieked a second time. She shuddered and gasped, falling limp.

Orgasm achieved.

Kiba was well pleased with his performance.

He sat back, and watched the rise and fall of her breasts as she panted. Kiba wanted to squeeze one, but didn't want to mess with her yet. His secret happiness with himself must have shown on his face because after a minute, Ino reached down and pinched his lips.

"Wipe that damn smirk off your mouth."

He spoke as he pulled himself up. "Can't I be proud of myself?"

She didn't respond until he'd helped her stand.

"I suppose," Ino said, and then rubbed his head. "Good boy."

When he felt his smirk spread to a grin, Kiba did nothing to stop it. She laughed at his smile, and when he _did _squeeze a tit, she laughed harder, dodging into the shower stream. Naturally, he chased after her and boxed her in, zeroing in on her lips.

She pushed at him. "Don't get close, I'm burning up."

"Rawr." He mock-clawed her. "Yer sizzling. But I know a way to cool you off."

"Hm. Not likely. I'm too-"

Right in the middle of her sentence, the water went from hot to bitter cold. Kiba jumped away, into Ino, the wall and door. The ice water pelted him as he braved it to slap the knob to the showerhead.

They laughed like lunatics for about five minutes before Kiba opened the shower door and had to run through the damn house naked trying to find clean towels for the both of them.

His mother, of course, had decided to grab the ones out of his bathroom before she left and had forgotten the washcloth. He hadn't noticed when he'd gotten into the bathroom in the first place.

Ino smiled as he handed her a towel. "Now who's the one putting on shows?"

Kiba snorted. "Yeah, whatever. I should've made you get yer own."

They dried off together, and Kiba threw on his sleeping shirt and boxers. When he turned, Ino had already put on her underwear. The panties were cute boy-shorts, and those and the bra were satiny black lace. Alarm quelled any enjoyment he might have gotten from the knowledge.

There was no reason for the panic he suddenly felt; who'd pushed the button? "What're you doing?"

She didn't even look at him as she reached for the pool of clothes near her feet. "I'm putting my clothes on. It's already pretty late…I gotta get home."

'No, no! Don't leave me! Please stay! _Please_!' he wanted to beg her. He'd get on his hands and knees and hold her in place. Think, _think_!, as Ino fiddled with her shorts.

"You don't have to go home." His comment got her looking at him. "Spend the night with me."

* * *

**A/N: **Whew. Lotta energy expenditure up there.


	9. Fallen

**A/N: **Greetings, readers! A special thank you goes out to PSI Teleport for being a great sounding-board, and again, Josh, who tells is like it is and makes my writing honest. Enjoy!

* * *

**IX: Fallen**

Ino stared at him blankly. "Stay with you?"

The words had come out faster than he could stop them, and it was too late to take them back. Had he seriously said that to her?

After a moment of introspection, Kiba found that yes, he _was_ serious. Officially, he'd lost his mind.

If Ino's father ever found out Kiba had even _thought _about sleeping with his little girl, Kiba would be dead. No one would find his body. A cold chill ran down his back. But it'd be worth it, so-o worth it if she said yes.

Ino straightened to gaze at him levelly, shorts forgotten. "Are you serious?"

He didn't have to answer before she sighed.

"I suppose you are." Her eyes left his and she glanced to the side. "Where would I sleep?"

"With me."

Her eyes shifted back to his. "You're kidding."

"I promise to keep my hands to myself."

She sighed again. "That's not the point. We have to draw the line somewhere."

Why was she stalling when she already knew her answer? "You could sleep on the couch, but then what's the point of you spending the night?" He touched her shower-dampened hair. "I'm spent, so are you. Nothing's gonna happen." He hoped at any rate; but the black lace…_damn_.

Kiba watched Ino mull over his words. She might say no; she might say yes. He couldn't predict her at this point.

Ino closed her eyes, opened them. "What will I do for pajamas? And as much as you might enjoy it, I'm not sleeping nude."

He considered making a joke, but decided to keep it serious. "I have plenty of boxers and t-shirts. And if those don't work, there's always Hana's closet."

"Toothbrush?"

"We have extras."

She set a hand on her hip. "Are you making breakfast, or am I?"

Oh, she had him there. He grimaced. Sacrifices, sacrifices. "I will."

"Are you capable of cooking?" Ino wiggled out of her panties, and it was as she popped the clasp to her bra that he realized he'd won. "Well?"

Weird that she seemed so comfortable standing around him without any clothes on, but at her expectant glare, Kiba stopped staring and went to grab the promised clothes for her.

"I can cook! Just 'cause I'm a guy doesn't mean I can't."

"Good. If I'm spending the night in the same bed as you, I wanna good breakfast, not cold cereal."

"Yer so demanding."

She laughed, "You better believe it," as she pulled the t-shirt on. The hem fell just above her thighs, almost evenly with the ends of her hair. His boxers were loose, but fit her.

So. Damn. Hot.

Ino snapped her fingers in front of his nose. "Do you have to stare at _everything_?"

"Sorry," he said, stepping back. "I can't help it. I'm gonna hunt up a toothbrush. I'll be right back."

She spoke after him. "And a hairbrush, please."

Out of sight around the corner, Kiba did a little victory dance. He'd convinced Yamanaka Ino to spend the night with him _in his own bed_. How had this miracle happened?

Must have been a combination of good luck and his natural charm. Kiba reached into the linen closet, shifting around extra soap, tampon boxes, and various cleaning supplies. Now he had to figure out what to make her for breakfast. His fingers groped and found the toothbrush package. Pancakes were easy. Would she like pancakes? He'd have to ask her.

Kiba returned to his room, having swiped Hana's hairbrush from her dresser (he only ever used a comb), and found Ino looking at the pictures on his wall.

"I can't believe how young your mother looks here," Ino said, without turning, "and you look like your father."

A nerve pinched when she mentioned Dad. "Here."

Ino stepped around, and when he offered her the hairbrush and toothbrush, she accepted them with a smile.

"Thanks." She paused to look at him, and her smile faded. "I'm sorry."

His irritation had shown; he brushed off her apology. "It's okay."

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Not a big deal." Kiba could feel how she wanted to argue, so he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. "Do you like pancakes?"

Ino didn't answer right away; he saw her eyes close like she had to concentrate. After a moment, her eyes flicked open again and she smiled softly.

"Pancakes are wonderful"- -she kissed him- -"especially when someone else is making them."

Then Ino shifted away, leaving him with a sense of loss he'd never experienced before. The feeling was startlingly close to despair. So when she perched on his bed and began working the hairbrush through her locks, Kiba settled next to her.

Comfortable moments passed. She was so careful and thorough, starting with the ends, working through the tangles with quick picks, but efficiently, so that for the amount of hair she had, she didn't spend as much time as he thought she would.

When all her hair had been freed of tangles, Kiba watched her lean down, between her knees, and flip her hair.

Curiosity got the best of him. "What're you doing now?"

"Braiding my hair."

"Why? Isn't it fine loose?" Fact was, he liked it loose.

"If I leave my hair down during the night, I tend to roll on it and pull it. This way, I know where all my hair is."

Her nimble fingers wove, starting at her crown and eventually, she twisted an elastic band to hold the ends together. When Ino righted herself, her hair hung in a neat braid down her back.

"There. All done." Ino stood and went to the bathroom, grabbing the toothbrush along the way. "I'm brushing my teeth."

"Yeah, _obviously_," Kiba replied, flopping back on his pillows to wait.

"You seem to want to know what I'm doing all the time."

Her jovial observation silenced him before he could form a retort because he realized it was true. And as Ino brushed her teeth, Kiba tried to decide how it felt to know this, to understand that he _had _to know about her. To understand that he felt her distance like he felt an emotion.

A few minutes later, she returned, and he watched her crawl over the foot of the bed, looking for all the world like a predator stalking prey. A wicked gleam brightened her eyes.

"What's this?" he asked as she climbed on top of him. "We promised to keep our hands to ourselves." A promise that was currently unraveling.

Ino sat, straddling him. Her rope of blonde hair dangled over her shoulder as she leaned forward.

"No. _You _promised to do that." She kissed him, minty fresh.

"Hm." Kiss. "That's a little unfair."

Kiss. "Life's unfair. Deal"- -kiss- -"with it."

Their kisses deepened. Muscles clenched under his stomach; she had gotten him worked up already. His heart throbbed, and the sensation pulsing though him seemed much more desperate, much more powerful than what he'd felt previously.

His want for her had become a living thing inside him; he wanted to possess her completely, every curve and angle, every perfection and flaw. That animal attraction was back, yanking at the chains, lusting to mash his hips with hers, to put himself deeper in her than anyone else. It felt dangerous, edgy- -and frightening.

Would he lose control like he had when Ino slapped him? Would he hurt her in the heat of the moment? He didn't want to risk losing her like that.

He pushed her gently to get some space.

When Ino sat up, her eyes held concern. "What's wrong?"

Kiba hesitated to answer her, but after a moment's conflict, decided to be honest, even if that honesty embarrassed him.

Heat flooded to his face as the words dropped from his mouth. "I wanna have sex with you." Mortifying, but the snarling want died down under it.

Her brows lifted. "Right now?"

"Well…uh," YES! "N-no. Just, you know, in general."

"Okay," she said, sounding relieved, "you had me worried."

She shifted off him and snuggled close into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. One arm draped across his chest and her legs and feet rubbed his. Kiba struggled a moment with confusion, lost.

"Hunh?"

Her fingers plucked at his shirt. "I…I want things resolved between you and Yukari before we…involve ourselves further."

"So-o…you would have said no?"

"I would have said no," Ino agreed. Her hand wandered over his chest to his heart. "But only because I want all your attention."

That was sort of how he felt. "But you will…I mean…you'll have sex with me?"

He cringed when she laughed, knowing he sounded desperate and a little too hopeful. Ino teased his jaw.

"Let's take things as they come."

"Is that a way of saying you want me as bad as I want you?"

"Yeah, you could say that," she answered, laughing.

They fell silent for awhile, Kiba stroking Ino's back, and Ino stroking his chest. He stared at his ceiling with no thoughts in his head, existing- -_being_ with her. His eye cruised over the picture Ino had been looking at earlier, the one of his mother and father.

He got an idea. "Hey, Ino?"

"Hm?" She sounded as though she'd drifted off.

"You know, my sixteenth birthday's in a few weeks…and if I had a get-together, I was wondering if, uh…" He sounded so lame! "…if you would, you know…"

"Join you in celebrating?"

She made it easy for him when he didn't know how to express what he meant. "Yeah."

"I think I could"- -Ino yawned hugely- -"manage that."

That meant only one thing: she was agreeing to be his steady girlfriend. And they could try _other _interesting things with one another. Including…sex! His only regret was that he hadn't given into Ino earlier. Who knows where they would be currently?

Smiling, he said, "I think it's time for bed."

Kiba jiggled Ino some, not wanting to, but wanting to get under the covers with her. She stirred, slowly, and helped him turn down the sheets. He was excited to have her in bed with him, like a favored stuffed toy needed for comfortable sleeping.

After a few minutes of shuffling around, Kiba had Ino snug against him tucked into bed. He switched off the light and dropped back, fidgeting until he felt comfortable. Silence ensued.

"Oh, wait!" Ino popped up. "I forgot!"

Kiba's eyes were heavy. "Hm?"

"My earrings. Will you set them on the nightstand?"

"Yeah, give 'em here."

In the dark, Ino's hand found his. She passed him her earrings, a pair of studs she always wore, and Kiba reached out and set them by the lamp base on his nightstand.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

He rolled to his side; Ino wiggled back so that he could spoon her. Kiba couldn't help it. His hand roamed up the shirt to her belly. Soft, silky skin. Ino giggled some, but didn't push his hand away. Whether drowsiness slowed his brain or reminded him, Kiba didn't know. The question was out before he could stop it.

"How'd you get so hurt?" A long pause as her fingers traced his. He thought maybe he hadn't been specific enough, but her silence wasn't one of confusion. "You don't have to answer if you don't want."

He heard and felt her sigh, before she answered quietly. "You do what you have to, to protect your comrades. So that's what I did."

"I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

Another lapse of silence. Kiba definitely felt his exhaustion towing him to sleep. His question had flitted on the recesses of his mind; he wasn't even thinking any more.

"Ino? Do you think…that…this is what," his voice was fading fast, "…it feels like…to be…in love?"

He yawned, only half-hearing her answer as he dropped further from consciousness.

"Yeah," she whispered.

Their silence afterwards continued until morning.

**- -N- -**

Morning came with bright sunlight and singing birds. Kiba sat up in bed, a smile already across his face. His heart was light and airy; gladness had spread through him from head to toe. He felt infused with the power of youth and life.

Kiba stopped- -he sounded like Lee- -then he shrugged and looked over at Ino, unconscious beside him. Her mouth hung open, one arm above her head, and the other flung out. The braid of hair lay like a golden chain along the pillows. Beautiful.

He considered waking her, but thought he would be romantic and bring her breakfast in bed. Hurriedly, the idea spurring him, he did some morning routine (brushed his teeth, since morning breath wasn't in the game plan) and hustled to the kitchen.

Once there, he managed the ingredients, stove, and eventually the pancakes and juice without catastrophe. He even scrounged up a glass bottle and put a couple flowers from his sister's garden in it.

Kiba came in with the tray just as Ino stirred. She stretched, yawned, stretched some more, before she clued in that he stood in the doorway.

Her jaw dropped. "What…is that?"

"Well, good morning to you, too," he replied. "It's breakfast."

"I…see that." Ino took the tray, stared at it. "I just…don't believe it."

"Did I score major points?" Kiba couldn't help but grin.

She looked up at him, smiled. "You really wanna get laid, don't you?"

"Yeah," he said, leaning down, "what else?"

But when Kiba moved to kiss her, Ino ducked away, waving her hands.

"No, don't," she said, "I've got morning breath!"

He rolled his eyes and grabbed the back of her neck. "I don't care," he growled and landed a hard kiss on her.

Almost physically, Kiba felt her surrender the kiss to him. A deeper emotional charge passed from her to him and back again, and truly, it felt like they were speaking a secret language. His heart rolled in his chest.

Kiba pulled away as panic fluttered in a corner of his mind. When he did, he saw Ino's closed eyes, and she seemed so still he worried that he'd done something wrong…or something terribly right. He clucked her under her chin with his finger.

Her eyes opened; she smiled. "Let's eat."

He didn't argue, and during breakfast, Ino took the pressure off him by chattering about how great the pancakes tasted, and how she hoped her parents would believe her when she lied to them about where she'd spent the night.

Kiba perked up. "What're you planning on saying?"

"That I spent the night with Sakura."

"Is that usually what you say?"

She shrugged. "In this case, it's the answer that makes the best sense. I was with her for part of the day. We had girl-stuff to talk about, so she invited me over for dinner and I ended up spending the night."

Kiba couldn't stand the worry creeping up in his brain. Surely if her father could _look_ at a person and see a lie, he would _know _his daughter was lying. And mothers _always _knew about a lie, even as it happened.

"Sounds like what happened with us."

Ino laughed. "The best lies are the ones closest to the truth. Think about it."

He did and decided she was smarter than he. After they finished eating, Ino helped him carry the dishes to the kitchen, where Kiba had a brief lapse in judgment and stood too near her.

He had come to stand behind Ino as she put the dishes into the sink. She stepped back, bumping into him. The scent of shampoo and flower shop and vanilla and maple syrup and comfort and _him_ slammed into his brain and flung him off-kilter.

She had turned, and before he could adequately comprehend the pummeling his senses took, Ino had exited the kitchen, heading toward the bedroom. Feeling oddly dazed by her, Kiba followed, not even really aware that he did.

She was in the middle of brushing her teeth. Yesterday's clothes were in a heap on the floor. He imagined her putting on her underwear and shorts and t-shirt, and walking out the door. In short, _leaving_.

A different type of panic gnawed at him, the one that affected him last night as she put on those same clothes. He knew she couldn't stay, but he _wanted _her to stay.

If she stayed, he would know where she was at all times. He would be able to kiss and touch her whenever he wanted. He would be able to look at her beauty and admire her, and feel relaxed and safe and cared for. _She _would be safe and cared for.

"Hey," her voice broke his thoughts, "hey, are you okay?"

She had finished her teeth, and came closer to look at him, concern lining her mouth and eyes. "You look…_weird_."

He yearned from his bones for her. To lean and kiss her was as natural an act as scratching an itch. His kissed her gently, caressing her neck and dipping his other hand under her shirt. Her tongue rippled along his, as his hand travelled over warm, smooth skin and found a soft mound.

She made a small noise when he nuzzled her and nibbled her ear, and rubbed a thumb over her nipple. Ino squirmed, her hips bumping to his, giving him a jolt of heated pleasure.

He could smell her heat and it crazed him; he couldn't stand it any longer. The living need for her overwhelmed him. He didn't fight it, _couldn't_. Kiba kept her locked against him and walked her backwards to the bed.

They fell together on the sheets. Before he realized it, he'd shoved her shirt up and had attached his mouth to her peaked nipple. Ino groaned; her hips lifted, grinding his stiff arousal against her core, but cloth separated them.

Kiba shifted, fingers hooking in the waistband of her boxers, and slipped them down her hips, her thighs, over her knees and shins and feet.

Somehow he wiggled out of his own shorts, but when he returned his attention to Ino, she had scrambled to the other side of the bed. She'd taken a stance on all fours, facing him and shifting her weight from one side to the other.

A wicked grin had spread on her flush face. "Catch me if you can!"

All parts of him revved in anticipation of the hunt. Ino giggled at him and he couldn't tell the difference between the thinking and the sex drive.

He growled, "_Tease!_" and launched at her.

Kiba tackled her dead-on. She shrieked as they toppled over the edge of the bed. In a heap of limbs and sheets, they wrestled and laughed. Ino proved to be quite adept at escaping his grasp, but Kiba had persistence going for him.

He wore her out enough to pin her down, using hands, legs, and body weight to keep her subdued. Sometime during their tussle, they both had lost their shirts, and they both panted from exertion and excitement.

"Are you going to plunder me," she said coyly, "now that you've captured me?"

Kiba covered an eye with a hand. "Arrgh, ay'll pillage thy pretty booty."

Ino roared with laughter, and Kiba was able to get a hand between her legs and cup her. He hardly heard her gasp, amazed at how hot and lubed she was, and his fingers pushed into her easily.

The same favorable reaction as last time resulted.

"Oh, Kiba!"

Animal lust and hunger and instinct clutched him at her cry. She captivated him, and he needed to fill her with himself, make her _his own _forever.

When he'd thought about sex before, he always felt nervous about what to do the first time. But all the information he'd gleaned from friends and magazines and books seemed to be unnecessary; even health class back in Academy, that had taught him which parts belonged where, seemed superfluous. Everything with Ino had been natural reaction.

So it felt perfectly natural to position himself with her knees on either side of him, his hips matching hers. Her heat radiated to him and she moaned when he rubbed his tip along the heated cleft between her legs. She felt unbelievable like this- -what would she feel like inside?

Kiba's mouth brushed her ear. "Are you ready?"

Her eyes. He wanted to look in her eyes when they joined. Kiba lifted his head and gazed at her. That blue was so endless. Even so, he could tell that she had chosen to surrender everything to him.

"Yeah." He felt her hands glide up his back and down to his hips. "Here, you'll need some help getting in."

Ino's hand touched him.

"You'll have to lean," she told him, "a little at a time."

The air around them vibrated, and when Kiba breathed, the vibrations rattled his chest and guts and groin. He sent the signal to his body, thoughts racing around his head, his eyes on Ino's.

Finally. _Finally_ he was getting laid; he was going to screw Yamanaka Ino; he would no longer be a virgin; he would stop being so damn horny; he'd be able to _show _her how he felt about her.

_Ding-dong- -_the doorbell rang.

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter: _Caught_. See you then! =)


	10. Caught

**A/N: **Welcome back! Not much to say here, just that I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. =)

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**X. Caught**

_Ding-dong._

That had to be his imagination. Logically, he knew it wasn't. Someone was at the door.

Should he answer or ignore it? Body heat and bare breasts and Ino's hand on his dick reminded him he was in flagrante.

If he ignored the door, he and Ino could get on with their screwing. If he didn't, he wasn't sure they could pick up where they left off. Ino might escape him like she'd done before.

He looked at Ino, trying to divine an answer from her eyes. The corners of her mouth curled suspiciously.

She thought this was funny! It was _not _fucking funny that he was so _close _to getting laid, so-

_Ding-dong._

"You better answer that," Ino said. A chuckle lilted her words.

In retaliation, Kiba bit her shoulder and pushed off her with a curse. She laughed at him, even as she rubbed where he bit, and his snarl made her laugh harder.

Kiba spoke as he pulled on a shirt and boxers. "Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting with bells and whistles."

Whoever was at the damn door was dead meat. That much Kiba was sure of as he moved through the hallway, stopping briefly to check himself; his hard-on had fallen enough to be unnoticeable, which simultaneously pissed off and relieved him.

Just as he touched the doorknob, _Ding-dong_! His anger simmered a tick under 'furious'.

"_What_?" he snapped, when he swung open the door.

At his sudden appearance, the team of genins jumped, nerves painfully apparent in their acrid scents. Unimpressed, Kiba gazed down at them.

The genins were a couple of boys and a girl. Two brown-haired, one black-haired, and an assortment of ninja gear, dark clothing, net, cape, and was that a visor he saw?

The girl spoke up softly. "Um, we have a message for Inuzuka Kiba. Is he…is he at home?"

"I'm Kiba."

The message must be semi-important, since it had come from Hokage Tower. He remembered those extra-low D-rank missions from his genin days, but these kids had interrupted sex! Time was of the essence!

Kiba held out his hand. "Give it here."

"Hey, wait!" the black-haired boy piped up. "You could at least show us some appreciation!"

He did _not _have time for this. Kiba snarled impatiently.

"_Give it to me!_"

The black-haired boy blanched and visibly trembled; the two others jumped again. With some satisfaction, Kiba watched the girl withdraw an envelope from her waist pouch and stretch out an arm to hand him his message. Her hand shook.

Kiba snatched it from her. "_Thank_ you," he said before slamming the door in their faces.

His hearing picked up, "He's an asshole!"

Temper snapping, Kiba ripped open the door a second time, an angry growl in his throat.

"_Get the fuck off my property!_"

His shout was enough to bring Akamaru howling and barking from the back of the house to the front. The genins had evacuated the porch when Akamaru charged after them in a white streak of teeth.

The three kids sprinted, screaming bloody murder, to the end of the yard and out of sight. With a smirk, Kiba closed the door, and thought how good it felt to terrorize genins these days.

"That wasn't very nice."

Ino leaned against the wall at the end of the hallway, her arms crossed. And dammit, she had gotten dressed!

Kiba balked at her. "Why are you wearing clothes?"

"That's usually what people wear," she answered wryly. "Who's your message from?"

She laughed when Kiba groaned and turned around to clunk his head against the door. Life wasn't fair. He should've ignored the stupid doorbell! Now his chance at having sex with Ino was ruined.

Kiba didn't turn, even as Ino hugged him and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Aw…those blue balls must be terrible."

"This is torture," he said. "You must enjoy it, you evil, evil girl."

"Think of it as motivation to address the Yukari problem. That way you won't feel guilty for sleeping with me since you're still technically her boyfriend." She paused. "_I _don't want you feeling guilty."

He stepped from the door; her arms released him. Kiba didn't want to think about Yukari- -he hadn't for most of yesterday and last night. But the pain he'd hidden from was there, all messy and enormous in his chest, like a kind of nasty, evasive lung disease.

"Yukari ended the relationship when she tried to rape me," Kiba reminded her, clenching his hands into fists. "And if I confront her, I'll end up thrown in prison."

Ino rested a hand on his neck. "I don't think so."

"This is bullshit. Seeing her is the last thing I wanna do."

"She hurt your feelings. She took advantage of you. Of course you don't want to. But you'll have to deal with it sooner or later," Ino said, dropping her hand from his neck. "Sooner is better than later."

Then he watched, surprised, as she worked a finger under the flap of the envelope.

"Hey!"

Somehow she'd plucked the letter from his hand. Kiba hadn't even felt her do it.

Ino smirked. "Relax," she said, handing him the letter without reading it.

Kiba unfolded the paper- -he smelled Yukari in the scent, but the letter was not from her. When he scanned the professional handwriting, he found a 'Mrs. Jun Nakamura' signature at the bottom.

"Yukari's mom," Kiba surmised. He looked up and caught a frown on Ino's mouth. "What?"

"What does she want?"

"It says, '…to discuss events on the date of Saturday previous.' That's good, right? I mean," Kiba itched his head, "I'm already going over there to talk about what happened."

"I should go with you," Ino said.

Kiba detected a huge shift in her hormones; it felt like an air pressure drop before a thunderstorm. She was worried about something. And scared. Really scared.

"Whoa." He set aside the letter and envelope so he could put his hands on her shoulders. "Ino, it's fine. I'll take care of it."

To his surprise, she pushed him. "This isn't something to take lightly! It's highly probable that _she's _the one who we're after. If that's the case, we have to prepare a plan of action! You go in alone, you'll walk right into her clutches!"

Her vehement response kicked his instinct, and he wanted to snap at her, but he held back. Her emotions gave her away. Ino had reacted out of fear, and fear showed itself in different ways. He thought he knew what scared her.

His proximity made her more pliable to him, so Kiba wrapped his arms around her so she couldn't get distance from him. Of course Ino protested, trying to wriggle free, but he rested his forehead on hers. She quieted.

"I'm not taking anything lightly." He sighed. How to put this? "And if you think Yukari and her mother can trap me, yer dumber than I thought."

His comment didn't make her laugh like he'd hoped. Instead, her lips brushed his. They kissed.

Instantly, he felt an endless connection to her soul- -he wanted to touch her heart and take all her secrets and insecurities and put them in his own heart for safekeeping. No one would hurt her if he guarded her heart; he'd make sure of it.

That connection felt too deep…too intense, too vivid. Too…_everything_. Kiba didn't want to be attached to another person so viscerally, but he couldn't break it. The feeling inside him had become bigger than he could reasonably handle. Panic combated his emotions for control.

Ino ducked her head into his neck. "I'm going with you."

"_No._" He said it more forcefully than he meant. "No."

Kiba attempted to shake off his inner turmoil, but Ino made that impossible when she scraped her teeth on his earlobe. The gentle bite scrambled his brain. He struggled against his emotions for her, and the physical feelings she invoked.

"They'll manipulate you, try to make you feel ashamed, _dirty_." Her mouth hovered near his ear; her breath feather-light. "They know what makes a shinobi weak, and they'll use it. They'll use it until it breaks you."

Dark anger sparked. "You make me sound incapable of defending myself. Trust me, I can deal with it." He gripped the anger like a dying man did life.

"I'm going with you," she repeated.

Her persistence irritated him into releasing her, and he brushed past her to the kitchen so he could finish regrouping himself. The anger had other ideas, boiling up in his blood and suggesting that he rake his nails across something. He had to calm down. Destruction was bad, and so was destroying the house.

Kiba felt Ino approach him inside the kitchen area, so he faced her, glaring. "You want me to trust you, yet you don't trust me? Explain to me how that works!"

Ino's eyes looked hard, yet even without her scent he knew she was upset with his decision to fight her.

"That's not what I'm saying, and you _know _it. You're underestimating your enemy!"

Familiar exasperation nagged behind his temples. "For God's sake! These are civilians we're talking about!"

"Yeah, and you seem to forget one of them used drugs to try and suck your sperm into her vagina…all so she could _marry you_!"

A laugh bubbled at the back of his throat, but he controlled it and remained serious.

"Look, this is different." Kiba lowered his volume. "I'm on my guard. And I don't need backup to handle this situation."

She crossed her arms. "I'm glad you think so. I'm still going with you."

Annoying, tenacious little bitch! Kiba crossed the floor, and before she could evade him, he trapped her against the counter.

Growls, teeth showing two inches from her nose, and proximity had the desired effect. Her scent changed- -even Ino's hardened resolve weakened under his show of emotion.

Kiba spoke deliberately. "I'm doing this by myself. You are _not _coming with me."

"You're going into a dangerous situation." Ino sounded measured, but he could feel how tense she was.

Then her eyes dropped from his. "I'm worried about you."

Her admittance in that tiny, sad voice cooled him off, and he quit growling. 'I'm worried about you' meant she cared about him, that she didn't want to see him hurt. He understood her feelings; he didn't want to see her hurt either.

"Please let me come with you," she said, rubbing her nose on his. "I want to be there for you."

He couldn't say no to her, especially since she'd melted him into a puddle of spineless goo.

Dammit, he_ was_ losing his mind.

"Fine. But if you come along, I'm team leader. You do what I tell you without questions, or you'll be excluded. Got it?"

She nodded and smiled with alarming speed. "Roger-dodger!"

_Ding-dong_.

Kiba threw up his arms. "God! Like the one time I have a girl over, everyone wants to fuckin' visit!"

His show of exasperation got Ino laughing at least, and Kiba left to answer the door. His nose picked up a familiar, horrifying scent halfway down the hall. He stopped immediately.

No way. No way Mrs. Nara was on the other side of the door.

Kiba's nose didn't lie. Shikamaru's nosey mom, _and_ Mom's closest friend, was on his doorstep. What was she doing on his doorstep? If she saw Ino here at this time in the morning, the logical conclusion would be that Ino had spent the night. Then _everyone's _moms would know.

Scratch that. Make it just plain _his mom_. Shit.

He did an abrupt 180 degree turn and dashed into the kitchen, where Ino had poured a glass of water.

"You gotta hide," he said, heart racing. "Shikamaru's mom's here."

Her jaw dropped. "No way."

_Ding-dong._

"Bedroom." He already pulled her. Water sloshed out of the glass. "And don't make a peep."

"My bag! And shoes!"

She'd left them at the front door. "Dammit. I'll grab 'em."

Kiba left Ino to snatch up her shoes and shoulder bag. He sprinted to toss the items into his bedroom where she was and sprinted back; Kiba opened the door.

"Hi"- -crap, he was out of breath- -"Mrs. Nara."

"Hello, Kiba." Her glittering black eyes assessed him. She finally smiled. "May I come in?"

No! Go away! "Sure."

As he stepped back to let in Mrs. Nara, she shoved a grocery bag in his arms, and hefted a second one.

She continued, leading him to the kitchen. "I came by to check on you and Akamaru. Your mother wanted to make sure you were safe and sound since she left before you got back."

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Mrs. Nara set the grocery bag on the counter; he followed suit. Another long, quiet gaze. Kiba swallowed and tried to even out his buzzing nerves. Some sweat cooled on his forehead.

"Tsume also wanted me to check the house, do you mind?"

"Ah…" Check the house? For what? If he asked these questions, would he sound suspicious? Probably. "If that's what Mom wants."

Crap. Ino needed to be warned. How would he do it?

"You wouldn't happen to have anyone over, would you?" she asked.

Her question literally froze him to the spot. His mind went blank, and over the thunder in his chest, he managed to form an answer.

"Uh, no. Why?"

"No reason." She reached out and fingered the tag at his neck. "By the way, your shirt's on inside out and backwards."

"Um, you woke me up and I had to get dressed quick."

She started moving toward the bedrooms. Fuck.

"This shouldn't take very long. Put away the groceries, if you don't mind," she called over her shoulder.

Ino was on her own; he couldn't viably warn her without Mrs. Nara getting suspicious.

His stomach did an unhappy somersault as he complied. Anyone finding Ino would get him severely punished; but the fact that it was Shikamaru's _mom _gave him no doubts that Inoichi would catch wind.

Death was imminent. Distracted, he tried putting canned soup in the refrigerator before he caught himself.

Mrs. Nara exited the bedroom hall and started inspecting the rest of the house. That probably meant she hadn't discovered Ino. Relief actually made his knees feel watery. Kiba had finished organizing the groceries in the cabinets and fridge before Mrs. Nara returned.

She placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder. "Everything looks in order, so I'll be leaving. You know you can come over for dinner if you want."

As they walked to the front he said, "Thanks. I will," and opened the door for her.

"Okay, then. Goodbye."

"Yeah. Bye."

He waited. She stepped onto the front walk before she turned. He had _known _she was going to do that.

"Oh! You wouldn't happen to know where Ino is, do you? She didn't go home yesterday and her mother is worried sick."

She knew. Kiba didn't know how she knew, but she did. Keeping his reaction in check, Kiba remembered what Ino planned to say, and thought he might as well collaborate.

"I think she stayed the night with Sakura. They had some girl-stuff or something to talk about. Naruto and I stayed away, so I don't know for sure."

"I see. If you happen to bump into her, make sure she checks in with her parents."

"Okay."

"Bye, now."

Mrs. Nara waved, and Kiba waited until she disappeared at the end of the walk before closing the door. He sighed. Managing a relationship with Ino was getting to be more than he bargained for.

Kiba went to his bedroom and stopped in the doorway. Ino frantically plowed through the mess of bedding on the floor. Something was wrong.

"My earrings!" Ino cried. "My earrings are missing! Those were the earrings Master Asuma gave us, they can't be missing, those are my favorite and he told us…that…"

He heard tears starting. And when she spun to face him, her anxious features sucked the air out of his lungs.

"You checked the nightstand?" He moved to stand beside her and fought against helplessness. "I made sure they were near the lamp."

That at least was semi-clear in his mind. She'd handed them to him last thing before they fell asleep. He'd leaned over and set them on the nightstand beside the lamp.

But the earrings were not present on the nightstand.

"I thought that…they might be knocked off, you know, when we were messing around." Ino's voice wavered, but no tears yet. "So maybe they got wrapped up in the sheets or something."

"If we hit the nightstand, we would've noticed. Don't you think these things would be knocked down too?" He gestured to some small items placed haphazardly on the stand.

Ino didn't reply. When he looked at her, she seemed deep in thought, her brow crunched and her hands on her hips; her upset had flushed her face.

Kiba ran his hand down her braid. "What? What're you thinking?"

"Mrs. Nara."

"Mrs. Nara…?"

"She'd recognize the earrings and take them as evidence- -that's the sort of thing she'd do."

Whoa, paranoia. "Why?"

"To keep me in line. Maybe even you. Aren't your mother and she good friends?" Evidently she'd come to a conclusion. "That would explain everything."

"I'm…completely lost."

She sighed and flicked her bangs out of her eyes. "Don't worry about it. If the earrings don't show up on your bedroom floor, she's got 'em. I _thought_ I saw her lift something from the nightstand."

"Uh…okay?" Kiba wasn't sure he wanted to know, and a subject change was definitely in order. "Let me get ready and we can head over to the Nakamura's."

"Hm. I'll help make the bed, and while you're changing, I'll take care of the dishes." Ino touched his arm. "Would you mind if we stop by my place first?"

Kiba shrugged. "If you don't take too long. I wanna get this Yukari thing over with."

"Yeah, I know. I promise it'll only take a few minutes."

"Sure. You probably wanna put on make-up or something."

His tease earned him a pillow smack across the face, and Ino pointed at him.

"It's a girl-thing. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

Their light verbal play continued throughout the making of the bed, and after, Ino left him alone so he could dress. Kiba opted to wear his usual ninja gear: a net shirt, black pants, leather jacket, Leaf hitai-ate, and the usual shuriken holster and waist pouch.

Habit had him checking his weapons and tools, but he couldn't shake the bizarre feeling that he was treating this meeting like an important A-rank mission. Definitely Ino had contributed to his over-preparation. All that stuff about 'it's a dangerous situation,' and 'know your enemy'.

Overall, Kiba didn't think he'd need Ino's help to break up with Yukari, and apparently, Mrs. Nakamura. Once they knew _he _knew what they were trying to do, he was sure they would back off. If not, then Kiba would threaten them with the police, even though Ino had told him before that wouldn't work.

They were civilians. What could possibly go wrong?

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**A/N: **Yes, what _could _possibly go wrong? *insert evil laugh here* Next chapter: Kiba, Akamaru, and Ino pay the Nakamuras a visit. Until then!


	11. Into the Fire

**A/N: **Welcome again, dear readers! Thank you to all of you who have shown your support through Favorite Story, Story Alert, and Story Reviews. You deserve a big ole teddy-bear hug. =) I hope that you enjoyed _Caught, _as it was truly fun to write. I don't have much else to say here, except please have a good read!

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**XI: Into the Fire**

Akamaru and Kiba waited for Ino out of sight from her home. It had been about ten minutes before she showed up, landing in front of them noiselessly.

Ino had changed into the skimpy purple outfit Kiba had trouble believing was acceptable ninja gear. Her hair was up in her traditional ponytail, but the locks were wavy instead of straight from her braid last night.

Her navel drew his eye, bringing erotic memories to the forefront of his brain.

"Hey." Her fingers wiggled at him from her waist. "Don't lose focus."

Kiba blinked and brought his gaze to her face, the long way. "That outfit's different. Where's the one with the zipper?"

Her current top had buttons, and the buttons weren't sexy. Not sexy at all. Ino cocked a hip and rested her hand there. She snorted.

"Yeah. You remember what happened when I wore the one with the zipper."

"Yer no fun," Kiba said, pouting. "I like the zipper one better."

Akamaru huffed. _Can you two stop flirting so's we can get this job done?_

"What he'd say?" Ino asked before Kiba could reply.

"He's bitchin' about our behavior." Kiba rolled his eyes and addressed Akamaru. "_All_ right, we're going."

For the next half-hour, Kiba focused on getting his team to the address on the letter from Mrs. Nakamura. The place was on the outside of a business district, where trees and hanging flowers lined the sidewalks and paved lanes. Residences were integrated beside the businesses in flawless and tasteful design.

No surprise that on the outside perimeter of the Nakamura property was an iron-wrought gate about seven feet tall, not for ninja, but for common criminals. As Kiba and his team walked the opposite side of the street, carefully blending in so as not to draw attention, he could feel their assessment of the building that sat square in the center of a lawn.

The Nakamura household was more of a manor with a traditional outline and color. Kiba could smell fancy dried herbs and spices, and he knew, from looking at the fussy eaves, window panes, and gardens, that going inside would be like entering a museum.

Movement in the house on several levels indicated that there was a household staff on duty. So much for being discreet. Using concentration and chakra, he could discern Yukari's scent in the household and Mrs. Nakamura's, plus a dozen or so of the staff.

Already his blood rushed through his veins, pulsating more and more with each breath. Excitement- -worry- -adrenaline.

The three of them ducked into a lane between close-together buildings to huddle up and discuss a 'plan of action', as Ino so aptly stated.

"I think Mrs. Nakamura caught herself a shinobi," Ino murmured from beside him. Their shoulders brushed. "This almost seems too convenient."

On his other side, Akamaru bumped into his legs and growled softly at the manor. _I don't like the looks of this_.

"Yeah, and you two are gonna wait outside." Kiba reached down to rub his companion's head. "This shouldn't take too long."

"That's not fair!" Ino said immediately. "I'm going in with you."

_Yeah. What if you need back-up?_

Honestly, it was like everyone had forgotten he was shinobi. Kiba suppressed a sigh and shrugged.

"It'll be fine. I'll jump out a window or something. Trust me."

Ino grabbed his wrist, her argumentativeness clear as day on her face. He interrupted her while he pried off her fingers.

"Ino. I need you outside. That's an order."

She grabbed his wrist with her _other _hand. "But-!"

"Yer stayin' outside." He pried at those fingers, but her grip was vice-like. "And that's final."

"Kiba!"

_I still don't like it_. Akamaru grunted. _There're too many blind spots._

Kiba sighed and surrendered his wrist to Ino's hand. "Yeah, yeah. If you can't deal with it, then I'm callin' the mission. I didn't bring you along to hear yer whining."

"Hey," Ino said, slipping her free hand inside his open jacket. "Wait a second."

He'd unzipped it when he started sweating from the warm afternoon sun. Why? Why had he done that? Her hand continued traveling up, up, and o-oh, he wanted to shiver, but at this point, Ino stepped closer and lifted to the balls of her feet.

Her eyes were on his mouth. "We're worried. We need a plan. And not some half-assed one like Naruto sometimes comes up with."

With Ino's lips so near, Kiba had floated away; he only half-heard what she'd said. "Hm."

_Disgusting. Can't you two get a room?_

Akamaru's snarky statement went unnoticed. Kiba wrapped an arm around Ino's thin shoulders, not sure if she would evade the kiss or not. His mouth met hers, so sweet and soft, that Kiba's instinct to gorge himself kicked in. Her taste was so…so…so _Ino_ and the excitement/worry/adrenaline rush swooshed into something that spun him around.

Ino sighed and greeted his questioning tongue with hers. God, her _taste_…it was like licking rapture. He could _feel _her taste, right down his chest to his guts, and it gave him a shot of arousal. Her hips bumped into him and she made a noise of surprise when she felt how he'd responded to her.

Would anybody notice if he humped her, there, against the wall? It would be so easy; already his hand touched her thigh, pushing gently under her mini-skirt to touch her underwear. But his hand rounded her hip without finding satin or fabric of any kind.

The conclusion leapt with terrifying quickness: she wasn't wearing underwear.

Before he could test his conclusion further, a furious pain lanced up his arm like a random dozen kunai had sliced into him.

"OUCH-MOTHER-FUCKER!"

Kiba roared the same time he broke apart from Ino, and he snarled at Akamaru, who innocently sat back like he hadn't clamped a muzzle-full of teeth into the soft flesh of his master's arm. Ino stepped away and reached out to the nearest wall. She looked flushed, dizzy.

Kiba's arm throbbed as he cradled it. "Wha…why…you…_the hell_?"

_Keep your focus on the mission_, Akamaru stated frankly. _Not on what's between Ino's legs_.

With regret, Kiba accepted Akamaru's logic. Not fair he had to be right all the time. Massaging his arm, Kiba mastered the pain to lessen it and the chagrin; he felt himself switch to confidence.

Ino spoke over her shoulder. "I think we should keep our hands to ourselves until we finish our mission."

"Good thinkin'," Kiba answered.

"Here, you're bleeding," she indicated his chewed arm. "Let me use medical ninjutsu."

As he waited for Ino to heal him, he looked at the manor, taking a moment to put together a decent plan.

"Okay," he said, "you guys'll have to infiltrate the premises. Since these are civilians, I'm sure you can sneak in easily. Find some cover and prepare to back me up should I need it. One of you should circle around to the back of the place. The other should watch the front."

"What'll be your signal?" Ino glanced down at Akamaru. "That we both can respond to, I mean."

Kiba fished around in his waist pouch and withdrew a flash bomb. He showed it in the palm of his hand.

"This will be signal enough. I sense I need back-up, I'll throw this. You'll be able to see the flash, and if not, you'll hear it go off. Both of you should be able to converge on my location and provide help. Are you guys ready?"

Akamaru nodded, but Ino hesitated. She glanced at the manor, and Kiba saw worry shadow her face. But when she looked back at him, he saw only determination.

"I'm ready. Let's do this."

There was a second of silence, and then Akamaru and Ino hopped off, disappearing into foliage and shadow. He should have kissed her goodbye. Shaking off the regret, Kiba took a steadying breath, and approached the front gate where an intercom had been hooked up to one of two larger pillars flanking the sidewalk to the front door of the manor.

After a menial exchange with a servant, the gate popped open electronically, and Kiba walked to the front door, where he knocked. His knock was immediately answered by the same servant. As they walked through halls and rooms, Kiba saw that his previous assessment of the manor was correct…the place _was _a museum. Paintings, statues, glass cases with memorabilia were all present in tasteful arrangement.

At last they came to a set of large wooden doors, stained a deep brown and inlaid with intricate designs. The servant knocked, and with great reverence, cracked open the doors.

"Inuzuka Kiba here to see you, ma'am," the servant said.

Kiba heard, "Excellent. Bring him in."

The servant opened the door further and gestured for Kiba to enter. As soon as he did, he started planning. All along the left side of the office sat windows, which were single pane, and nothing a kunai couldn't take care of. The back wall and right side were solid, and there seemed to be a room or two at the back, along with some furniture and files. A desk sat in the very middle with a couple chairs at the front of it. At the desk stood Mrs. Nakamura.

Mrs. Nakamura truly looked like an older version of her daughter. Black hair sat in a neat, sleek twist at the top her head. Classy frameless glasses framed brown eyes that assessed him shrewdly. A tiny beauty mark graced the corner of a small mouth. And although short, the fact that Mrs. Nakamura wore a slate-grey professional suit and pumps gave Kiba the impression she was used to be treated respectfully.

Mrs. Nakamura at last took a seat in a chair that sat at a coffee table near the first two windows on the left. She gestured to the love seat opposite her chair.

"Have a seat, Kiba."

Instantly Kiba's instinct flashed a warning; all his muscles tensed. He'd heard this voice before- -all arrogant and wise at the same time. Nerves sent his stomach tumbling.

"I'll stand."

"Tsk, tsk. Don't make this any more difficult. I said sit."

Her command sounded like a polite request, but Kiba had no doubts this woman was used to being obeyed. Defiantly, Kiba crossed his arms and didn't move.

Mrs. Nakamura smiled and looked as harmless as a starving viper. "You do know why you're here, correct?"

"Just get to the point." His patience with this woman had spread thin. "I ain't got time for yer stupid questions."

Her eyebrows rose over the glasses, and her smile changed to 'If you say so.'

"My daughter Yukari has taken a liking to you," she said. "And she tells me you two had a little…misunderstanding last Saturday."

"Misunderstanding…ain't that the understatement of the fuckin' century! How could I possibly misunderstand her _drugging _me?"

Mrs. Nakamura chuckled and waved her hand. "That's neither here nor there, Kiba. However, what _is_ important is that she wishes to remain in a relationship with you. Are you willing to look past her mistake."

Her tone and words were strange. She sounded like she was giving him an ultimatum…or a warning before she took his choice away. And besides this, she seemed to be ignoring his protests, which meant she might have something up her sleeve.

Kiba could feel this trap closing around him. He could answer 'yes' to her 'question', but that would leave the trap for later. Cold worms writhed around in his guts; he felt sick to his stomach. Might as well force her hand now.

"No."

"No?" She looked smug. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"I see"- -Mrs. Nakamura rose from her seat and crossed the room to her desk- -"That's a shame."

She opened the top drawer and took out a manila envelope. And there was the trap.

"You know Yamanaka Ino?" she asked, and Kiba watched her reach into the envelope. "She's seems to be a wonderful med-nin with a high rate of mission success. By looking at it, her record is so clean it squeaks."

Dizziness swarmed Kiba's senses as he stepped to the desk. "What does _she_ have to do with this?"

"Oh. She only assaulted my daughter, and left behind some pretty nasty cuts and bruises. Luckily, I was able to get her to her doctor in time. I have a friend in the military police unit, and so my daughter's statement and pictures are all there, I can assure you."

Mrs. Nakamura had withdrawn photographs of Yukari; shots of her back, arms, and chest. Kiba had seen worse, but Yukari definitely looked beat to hell. Roiling purple bruises and angry red marks clouded over the pale skin.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Ino would never do this. This isn't what happened."

"According to Yukari and these photos, it _is _what happened. And I wonder what the consequences of this evidence would be, hm?"

Prison. Ino would go to prison. She would never be allowed back on active duty again. Everything she'd worked for would vanish, not to mention the shame her family would endure. Kiba's mind whirled, working under the pressure of rising panic.

"No one will believe Ino is capable of hurtin' a civilian like this. Your evidence is substantial at best."

Mrs. Nakamura waggled a finger at him and withdrew a sealed, colored baggie from the envelope. Kiba recognized it as a protective evidence bag for video tape.

"Let's not forget this! Footage of Miss Yamanaka breaking and entering your love-nest. And there's a very clear shot of her striking Yukari."

He realized what Mrs. Nakamura's intentions were. If he behaved like a good boy, Ino would remain untouched by this damning evidence. His mind grasped at something Ino had said yesterday…and today.

All this was to get him to marry Yukari. He'd been caught.

The lump in his throat hurt to speak around. "What makes you think I give a flyin' rat's ass about Ino in the first place?"

At this, Mrs. Nakamura laughed. "You aren't going to let something happen to your _precious comrade._ It could be _any _Leaf shinobi, and you would _still _do all you could to protect them."

He wanted to jump out the window that second, but he remained rooted to the spot. There was no way out of this; running away would make it worse. Mrs. Nakamura had trapped him, _caught_ him because he'd been stupid and blind and arrogant.

Kiba hated her. "Fuck you."

"Tsk, tsk. Such language will not get you a free pass. Here are the terms," she said, sliding the contents back into the envelope. "You are to continue to date Yukari. You will not see any other girl, _especially_ Yamanaka Ino. If I hear you've been near her, I _will_ take steps to get her out of the way. I have eyes and ears all over the village; do not test me.

"I _know _she spent the night with you last night, and I know that she told you all about what happened on Saturday. But that won't matter. Stay away from her. Understand?"

Kiba stared as she slid the envelope into her desk. "Yeah."

She didn't lock the drawer.

His brain plunged ahead, calculating a mile a minute. An exploding tag on the envelope would destroy it; couldn't use the tag where civilians might get hurt. He'd need a second to get into the desk, another to escape the office.

Mrs. Nakamura moved from the desk to a little side table on the right of the room. On top of the table was a tea service, which she used to pour a steaming cup of tea. Kiba dipped into his waist pouch and palmed a smoke bomb. Adrenaline pulsed through him.

"Just think," she said smugly, "in a few weeks you'll be able to officially marry your first love."

Kiba dove to the desk the same time he tossed aside the smoke bomb. _Bam!_- -the bomb activated when he ripped open the drawer. Smoke plumed everywhere, but he'd already lifted the envelope. He flung a kunai at the nearest window.

His accurate aim shattered the glass; he dove through, flipped to get the landing right. As soon as he hit the ground, he sprinted to the gate and vaulted over it into the neighboring yard, shoving the envelope under his jacket as he did.

Yells, shouts, and Mrs. Nakamura shrieking at the top her lungs pleased him, and he didn't stop his slow smirk.

He chanced a look over his shoulder- -no one followed him, but to make sure, Kiba dodged to the roofs and used his explosive speed to gain some distance.

Best bet was to head to the Team 8 training ground; using a denotation tag there would not endanger anyone or destroy property. As Kiba ran full-tilt over the rooftops, he couldn't help but think how damn easy stealing the envelope had been.

For someone who'd obviously worked with shinobi, she should have known that Kiba would attempt to eradicate the evidence against his comrade. What kind of moron tried to trap a shinobi without a contingency plan?

Hairs prickled on the back of Kiba's neck. Paranoia focused his thoughts. Someone was after him. Kiba gathered chakra to his nose, but he couldn't smell anyone who would match a pursuer's scent. Glances over his shoulder showed him no one.

And where was Akamaru and Ino? True, Kiba had left them outside of the house, but the commotion would have clued them in to any danger. They should have caught up to him by now, or he should have been able to smell them within his range. Which meant that they'd been delayed, or that something had gotten to them.

Kiba would have to return to the Nakamura manor to investigate.

First, his priority was the envelope's destruction. No doubt that was the reason he was pursued. The training grounds were too far away; he'd have to be careful with the explosion. Without stopping, Kiba fished for an exploding tag, something not too powerful, but with a short fuse.

The edge of paper teased his finger.

Kiba smelled the poison as soon as the needles were flicked at his blind side. Instinct forced him to strafe to his left. The senbons nicked past and embedded in stone. Continuing along the rooftops would leave him open. He dropped to the street and ducked around a corner to assess.

His pursuer still did not register a scent for Kiba's nose. How was that possible? It must be a specialty jutsu…Kiba had heard his mother speak of jutsu that could suppress scent, even erase it. That would explain his team's absence: if he couldn't smell this guy, Akamaru couldn't have, either.

But he had no idea if a jutsu was the case. And he couldn't stand around and fight for very long; that left too much time for whoever-it-was to grab back the envelope _and_ left Akamaru and Ino in whatever trouble they'd stumbled into.

An idea hit him- -a risky, stupid, _foolish_ idea, but one that would solve his problems in one fell swoop.

For his plan to work, he would have to lure the pursuing ninja out for melee combat. They both couldn't use 'big' jutsu since they were in town, and they'd have police and on-duty shinobi all over them in seconds. Hence the reason his enemy had used needles first.

Kiba felt confident he could dodge or out-run any long range attacks thrown at him, but mid-range to short-range attacks…he'd have to be careful to avoid any killing blows. All he needed was the nin to grab him without looking like that's what he wanted.

What word did Master Kurenai use? Finesse. He had to have finesse.

The scent of poison brought around his attention. Kiba ducked from his hidey-hole. Several more needles missed him by millimeters.

Instead of falling back, Kiba charged, following the scent-path of the poisonous needles. He knew he'd startled the enemy when wave after wave of needles shot toward him. His nose was good enough, and he was fast enough, to use a kunai to deflect the weapons.

The enemy nin had been attacking from a darkened alley way opposite where Kiba had found cover. And as Kiba dashed forward, he saw a black blur shoot from the mouth of the alley to meet him.

He and his pursuer clashed on the street, kunai against short blade. They both jumped back; Kiba released a slew of shiruken, and according to his master plan, were deflected. Perfect. The few-second interval allowed him to stick an exploding tag on the envelope under his jacket.

He glanced up, growling when he felt his enemy close in. The nin wore unremarkable gear- -a flak jacket, mask, and hitai-ate covering his hair and pulled low over his eyes. No distinguishing features or weapons showed except for the short blade. He looked like a regular ole shinobi and that scratched at Kiba's worry.

Fitting in was another disguise.

Again they clashed together, and a flurry of fist- and foot-blows ensued. Kiba ducked and blocked, biding his time carefully, and with furious slash of his kunai, he managed to cut the blade out of the other's hand.

Kiba could not afford to give the guy breathing room, so he doubled his efforts. He could feel the time coming. Reward came when the enemy feinted back, and Kiba dodged forward to follow-through with his kunai. His fingers already molded the signs for a substitution jutsu.

The nin grabbed Kiba's weapon arm. Too late. Kiba had slipped away and blended into cast shadows nearby. He watched, smirking, as his own likeness poofed into the envelope. His enemy realized the trap, but not quickly enough. The tag detonated, flinging the shinobi into the wall of a building with a blaze of violent fire.

But Kiba had hopped to the roofs and was rapidly closing in on the Nakamura manor. Even before he saw the eaves of the homestead over the rooftops, he smelled the drifting smoke and heard the people shouting. The household staff was scattered around; confusion and chaos ruling supreme. Kiba skirted the property, keeping in cover.

"Akamaru?" he called softly. "Ino?"

He scented his companions…and his heart seized when he whiffed a trace of poison. The _same _poison he'd avoided minutes ago.

Their scents had separated- -Kiba could tell- -but near a copse of trees, they converged. Their scents would mingle only if one had come to aid the other. Kiba stepped closer, seeing dark liquid near the base of the tree.

"No. No!"

Ino's blood…mixed together with the poison…had splattered on the ground.

* * *

**A/N: **Coming up: _Easy Come, Easy Go_. See you then!


	12. Easy Come, Easy Go

**A/N: **Today's chapter carries with it great irony. I've recently experienced a very deep loss in my family that has reminded me just how easy come, easy go life really is. Friends, I do hope that you live life like there are no tomorrows. =)

* * *

**XII: Easy Come, Easy Go**

There was no time for Kiba to ponder the events up to this point. All that mattered was finding Ino and Akamaru and getting the _hell _out of here.

He lifted his nose and charged it with chakra. Took a moment to filter the layers of scent. The hell...? Their scents had concentrated in the house. What were they doin' there? Quickly, he used transformation jutsu to become Mrs. Nakamura's servant. Counting on the confusion outside to cover him, Kiba followed his nose into the house.

He knew of at least one nin…he should expect there to be more, so movement through the manor seemed painfully slow. Rashness begged him to raze everything to the foundation; rashness would not serve him.

Ino's blood-scent brought him to a scarred door at the back of the house, in the kitchen beside what smelled like the pantry. Throwing caution to the wind, he flung open the door. Ino's and Akamaru's scents intensified- -he was close to them. He'd met no one and so dispelled the transformation jutsu to conserve chakra.

At his feet, stairs plunged into abject darkness. He moved down them fluidly, keeping the door at the top open. Kiba may have enhanced vision, but not enhanced enough for complete darkness.

Dankness, mold, and dust invaded his sinuses. Light reflected off piles of unused furniture, selves of old glass jars, and sheet-covered stacks of what looked like crates. He followed a path between the junk; his hearing picked up labored breathing.

Along the very back wall of the basement, in the darkest part, Kiba discovered what looked like a row of cells. A barred door crossed the entrances of the small rooms, which had no floor, no windows, and cold stone walls.

The very last cell contained Ino and Akamaru. Both were unconscious, in a heap of limbs and fur, and Ino's poison-tainted blood overpowered even her basic scent. His logic forced the panic back, ignored his freezing blood.

Kiba examined the lock on their cell, which was a simple lock and key affair embedded in the door. No chakra seals or other containment jutsu were apparent. The door had hinges, and he guessed the holding cell was not for shinobi; whoever had thrown Ino and Akamaru in there had needed a quick fix.

Thinking quickly, he used a kunai to jimmy free the hinges from the wall. The door swung awkwardly away, pivoting on the lock, but he had gone inside to examine his lover and animal companion.

Akamaru had taken a few hits. Some bleeding cuts ran in dark swathes on the light fur, and some swelling showed where he'd been knocked around. He had no broken bones, but Kiba couldn't be certain he was mobile.

Ino was worse. She'd taken three poisonous needles to the upper-chest. A large bruise had formed over her eye, and he noted the scrapes on her knuckles. Kiba found no obvious broken bones, but the poison had worsened her condition. It had been her breathing he'd heard.

Both of them could be moved without causing debilitating injury, but it would take time Kiba sensed he didn't have. His best bet was to get one or both of them mobile at the same time. Akamaru would most likely be able to move himself; Ino, not so much. She'd have to be carried.

"Akamaru?" Kiba gently shook the nin-dog. "Akamaru?"

Akamaru didn't stir.

If Akamaru didn't wake, Kiba knew he faced a dangerous scenario. He was not strong enough to carry both Akamaru _and _Ino; one of them would have to be left behind. A plausible solution would be to carry out one, hide him or her and afterwards, return for the second.

That still didn't feel right to him. Think. Think, um, an idea…idea. Argh! There wasn't enough time for this! Ino looked so pale, her eyes scrunched together- -

- -that was it! When Ino had passed out before, Inoichi had used ammonia. Akamaru wasn't poisoned, so maybe he'd wake up. Then Akamaru could get Ino outta there. Yeah, that'd work. He hoped.

Kiba shifted Ino to get a hand into her waist pouch. Ino was med-nin, so he was about seventy percent sure she would have it on her; knowing _his_ luck, however, that percentage decreased to probably about nil.

His fingers ran across the usual sharp edges, some first-aid equipment, tags, and what felt like a small glass vial. He swallowed hard and removed the vial, too scared to hope. Clear liquid- -that was good. When Kiba uncorked it, he cringed back. Ammonia. Just what he needed.

Kiba waved the ammonia under his dog's nose, speaking gently and supporting Akamaru's head with his free hand.

"Akamaru, c'mon, buddy, I need you."

Akamaru's tail twitched. Kiba's relief was so immediate and overwhelming, tears stung his eyes. He continued drawing the ammonia in front of Akamaru's black nose until an eye popped open, and paws scrabbled back and forth.

"C'mon, get up," Kiba said. "We gotta get goin'."

The nin-dog growled and with Kiba's help, shifted to stand. Kiba thought he looked wobbly, but there was no more time. Footsteps almost imperceptibly tread on the stairs. No scent. The conclusion came swift…this was the same nin who'd pursued him on the rooftops.

Quickly, he motioned to Akamaru for silence, and with a series of efficient movements, he flopped Ino over Akamaru's back. But her limp body slithered off. He shifted her again, but again, she slipped off. He and Akamaru exchanged a look, understanding one another without speaking.

They would have to use Beast-Human Clone jutsu. But Akamaru wouldn't have time to transform and carry out Ino without being attacked. Shit. That left one option: Kiba would have to distract or detain whoever so quietly had entered the basement.

He formed the correct hand seals; Akamaru became his clone. So gently, Akamaru-as-Kiba gathered Ino in his arms, and held her close to his chest. The only exit was up the stairs; Kiba would engage the enemy and allow Akamaru time to egress.

Motioning for Akamaru to wait, Kiba crept forward and peered through the dim light, mind clicking along at record speeds. Use the element of surprise; know where the enemy is and where your teammates are. Quick and clean, in and out. Allow the enemy no time for thinking.

A figure moved down the same aisle Kiba had taken. He had to hold the enemy long enough for them to get out. So he tossed a smoke bomb and barreled at the shadowy figure. His head hit the black-clad stomach, and his arms locked around a waist.

The bomb went off. Instantly, the smoke obscured his vision, deadened his sense of smell.

He didn't stop, popping up quick enough to slam a fist into the nin's head. The nose broke in a satisfying crunch; but the enemy recovered to duck under a second fist. Kiba writhed around with the nin, escaping and feinting with several basic submission holds.

But Kiba was quicker of the two. He caught an arm and heard the snap as he bent it. He released, though not fast enough to avoid an elbow aimed at his solar plexus.

Shifted just enough. Air escaped Kiba in a whoosh as the elbow rammed into his stomach instead. Hello, pain. The hit had surprised him, and he considered disappearing into the smoke. But only a few seconds had passed.

A little more time. They needed a little more time.

The nin appeared at Kiba's side, arm swinging straight out. He swept to chop Kiba's throat, but Kiba ducked. Bits and pieces of crate burst out, showering Kiba as he blocked a foot and another hand.

The tight quarters hindered Kiba's movement and several blows fell on him as he struggled to move freely. None of the blows hit accurately enough to incapacitate him. Several times his hands and feet destroyed crates rather than dealing damage on the enemy. All that mattered, however, was time for Akamaru and Ino to escape.

Something changed. The mood of the fight had shifted; Kiba intuitively knew that the nin had realized their plan. Now was the time to fall back.

Without hesitating, Kiba focused his chakra to perform Piercing Fang. He'd tunnel through the wall and ground to open air. Escape, afterwards, would be a matter of speed and deception.

He delayed a second too long. His enemy's fingers blurred and even as Kiba sent the signals to his body to _move_, he understood he'd been caught in a paralysis jutsu. A moment later, a blow to the back of the neck put Kiba into unconsciousness.

**- -N- -**

Garbled noise stirred him. In the darkness, Kiba rose to consciousness and discerned conversation.

A woman's voice. "…_mean_, the girl and dog got away? I thought you were in the Bingo book or something! What do I pay you for?"

A man's. "You wanted this one, so I got this one."

"Yes, and where is my leverage? Oh, yes, _destroyed!_"

Kiba recognized the woman's voice. His mind flitted around a name…

"You know why, ma'am."

A sigh. "This Inuzuka kid is difficult, and that Yamanaka…_slut _is another problem. Yukari can really pick them, can't she?"

"Hm."

Something cool and wet wiped his forehead. He didn't want to think just now.

"We'll have to push him harder. He won't behave, otherwise."

"Ma'am, his type is stubborn, persistent, not easy to control. We have to take the next step."

"I've already taken care of it. You need to keep an eye on Inuzuka, and report to me if he gets in contact with that Yamanaka girl."

Kiba remembered- -that voice belonged to Mrs. Nakamura. She and the man stood above his head.

"And where is Yukari?" Mrs. Nakamura continued. "She should be here by now!"

A moment's pause.

"Would you like me to retrieve her, ma'am?" the man asked.

"Yes, you idiot! Bring her to me!"

Another cool, wet wipe across his forehead had Kiba forcing his eyes open. Several thoughts collected in his mind: he couldn't move; the room was dim, not dark; someone else was there with him; sharp pains shot into his brain when he shifted; he was screwed.

He closed his eyes. Waking up wasn't worth the effort.

"Kiba?"

Yukari. What the hell did she want? Nothing she could say would get him to forgive her.

She tried again. "Kiba, I-"

"Leave me alone."

A wounded silence followed his curt statement. When she tried wiping his forehead again, Kiba twitched his head away, suffering the consequences when white light burst behind his eyes. The pain was excruciating and pounded the inside of his skull.

Footsteps fell somewhere outside- -the door was at his back. A knock.

"Miss Yukari, your mother is ready to see you."

Yukari shifted behind him and he heard her stand. Her light footsteps crossed the floor, the door shut, and Kiba was left alone.

The closed door muffled Yukari's voice, but Kiba was able to listen. "H-how did you know where I was?"

"A good guess, little lady."

_Little lady_? Kiba suppressed a groan.

"Whoa!" the man sounded startled. "Where did these tears come from?"

Some sobbing and sniffling. "H-he _hates _m-me!"

"Who does?"

"_H-him_!"

"I see." The man paused. "Give him some time. He'll come around."

Pfft. Not damn likely.

"W-what if he doesn't?" she whimpered. "What if…what if he hates me _forever_?"

"No one could hate _you_ forever. Here, wipe those tears." The sound of Yukari blowing her nose. More sniffling as the man continued. "Are you ready? Your mother is waiting."

"Yeah. Let's go."

Footsteps fell away from the door. During the interval that followed, Kiba wiggled around, ignoring his agonized head. Feet were definitely bound. His hands were bound at the small of his back and his fingers had gone numb. He wasn't using jutsu to escape this time.

Then he reconsidered. The possibility of pumping Mrs. Nakamura for more information, such as how she thought he would cooperate, seemed the better plan.

"Where have you been?"

That would be Mrs. Nakamura.

"I-I was-"

And that was Yukari.

"And look at you, you're a mess! You look like you've been to a funeral!"

Footsteps above him; they were moving around.

"Answer me," Mrs. Nakamura demanded. "Where were you?"

A long pause. "With Kiba." Her words were barely perceptible.

"With…? Did you talk to him?"

Yukari mumbled something that Kiba didn't hear. There was a smacking sound- -Yukari yelped- -and Mrs. Nakamura responded angrily.

"Speak up, girl. I can't hear you like that."

A fresh burst of tears. "I said…he told me to leave him…a-alone."

"Shush, dear. Don't worry about him. Go wash your face and put yourself to rights." Another pause; footsteps crossed the floor. "Roach. Bring me Inuzuka."

"Yes, ma'am."

Okay, he was up. His worst character trait would be sorely tested…his patience. Patience had been something Master Kurenai had taught him first thing as a genin. Shino and Hinata had it in spades, but Kiba could never get the hang of waiting around. He liked action; he liked initiative.

Here, he had to keep in mind his goal, which was to find if Mrs. Nakamura had any more tricks up her sleeve. As much as he despised being jerked around, he would allow it to lull Mrs. Nakamura into a false sense of power. Then he would strike.

A physical battle, Kiba understood and excelled in. This psychological parlay shit was Shino's cup.

Footsteps outside the door again, then the door opened. Combat boots tread over the floor. No scent. He heard a blade of some sort exit a sheath; the binding around his feet came loose.

A rough hand hooked into his armpit, yanking him to stand. His feet were as numb as his hands, and the sudden circulation put everything below his ankles on pins and needles. Kiba hadn't even gained his balance before 'Roach' started dragging him.

He shook loose. "Gimme a damn minute, wouldja?"

"You don't have a minute," was the pithy remark back.

"Mrs. Bitch can hold 'er fuckin' horses."

Roach's hand shot out and grabbed Kiba's neck. Squeezing, he said, "Watch your tongue."

Kiba wasn't intimidated nor was he impressed. He snarled, even as his air passage closed under Roach's firm grip, and in a quick movement, kneed Roach in the crotch.

Roach grunted. Dropped. Kiba gave him a swift, hard kick in the ribs before Roach caught his foot and tugged.

The crash to the floor didn't hurt; the fist to the face _did_. Blood and pain pounded in Kiba's head; the tang of blood coated his tongue.

Roach hauled him to his feet again. "We're going."

The insult had sprung from Kiba's mouth without thought, but it had served a dual purpose: to gain him some time and to elicit a response out of Roach.

Roach's reaction was more than employee loyalty to Mrs. Nakamura. Kiba had seen the flash of very real anger in Roach's eyes before being choked.

Although he knew Roach found it necessary to shove him around, Kiba was able to keep on his feet and avoid going head-long into a wall. The trip to Mrs. Nakamura's office was made in tense silence, and when they eventually entered the space, Kiba made sure his face was impassive and controlled.

Mrs. Nakamura was at her impressive desk and in a show of busyness, shuffled some papers. Roach continued to grip Kiba's elbow, and Kiba sensed that Roach was looking for any excuse to debilitate him.

"Welcome back, Kiba," Mrs. Nakamura greeted. "I hope you found your defiance invigorating."

The venom in her words wasn't lost on Kiba. He shrugged and kept his eyes on her, even though there was a small movement at the back of the office.

"You think you're so smart, grabbing that envelope and running off. Well, let me inform you of the situation."

Mrs. Nakamura rose from her seat and rounded the desk. In her hand was an old-fashioned fan…the miniature version of the one he'd seen that Sand chick lug around. Only this fan was for show, not battle. She tapped the fan in the palm of her free hand.

"You've failed. _Failed_." She drew out the word like an insult, biting Kiba's patience to the quick. "You _will _marry Yukari, and it's just a matter of time."

Kiba spoke his words slowly. "Your words are fucking worthless. You ain't got nothing on me."

Roach shoved him for the remark, and Kiba fell to his knees. Mrs. Nakamura traced his neck and jaw with her fan, bringing his tightly reined nerves to a tizzy. His vulnerability seemed too evident. He sensed danger, a shift in the atmosphere.

"You know, Roach is special. He is very good at going undetected and very good at exterminating pests. It wouldn't be very hard for him to pay that Yamanaka slut a visit." She paused, and Kiba heard someone open the doors to her office. "You know, it doesn't _have_ to be her. It could be your mother or sister…your teammates, your master. _Anyone _is a target for Roach."

Her ominous words rang in his ears, but he snorted, "Yeah, right," as Mrs. Nakamura glanced to the doors.

"They're here?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Excellent. Show them in. And Kin," she added, "secure the office."

Kin hesitated a second. "Yes, ma'am." Then he gestured at whoever had arrived.

Kiba whiffed several men- -five, in fact- -who'd smelled as though they'd been marinating in sake and living in a chimney. The heavy tread of five pairs of boots across the floor, the clinking of hardware and weaponry, and when the men entered the room, Kiba's bad feeling heightened. These men were tattooed and stank of wrongness.

They gathered in a small group in front of the door as the servant closed and locked it. From the outside.

"Gentlemen," Mrs. Nakamura greeted, and Kiba heard the irony in her voice. "I'm glad to see you. Do you have the product?"

Product? What product? Under the pungent odor emanating from the group, Kiba could tell they were anxious. One of the men in the front shifted his weight subtly before speaking.

"No, Miz Nakamura. We don't."

A long, long pause. Beside him, Roach's breathing accelerated; he was excited, like he anticipated an attack, but Mrs. Nakamura's face had gone smooth, marble-like. The fan snapped open-closed in her hand. _Snap-snap. Snap-snap_. Hair stirred on the back of Kiba's neck- -something bad was gonna happen.

"You assured me," _snap-snap,_ "that no matter the circumstance that product was yours." _Snap-snap._

The leader scratched his head and sniffed. "Yeah, well, that was before Leaf and Sand came togetha to guard the delivery. Dogs all ova the place. Even Lord Kankuro was there."

_Snap-snap_. "Did you even _attempt_ to get the product?"

The leader chuckle-snorted. "Miz Nakamura. Mebbe you didn't hear me. We would've been sniffed out half-a-mile near."

"Imbeciles!" Mrs. Nakamura said through clenched teeth. Kiba heard a creepy _scritscritscrit_. "Have you ever heard of a _diversion?_ Hm? Did that cross your drunken little brain?"

Some of the other men shuffled uncomfortably. The leader sneered, showing a glimmer of a gold tooth, but Mrs. Nakamura was on a roll.

"No, probably not. You're _worthless_ to me if you can't even _try _to get the product. Roach," her eyes flicked to Kiba's captor. Her eyes had gone cold. "Show them we do not accept failure."

Roach moved, knocking Kiba to the floor. Where he landed, Kiba could see Roach's hand signs, feel the fluctuation in chakra. Scuttling, all over the place. Kiba saw the men reach for their weapons, glancing and shifting around. Silence. Then the lights in the room flickered- -a humming shadow darkened everything.

Before his eyes, Kiba watched the shadow gather on the men, coating them like living body armor. Terrifyingly similar to one of Shino's secret moves, the insects- - cockroaches - -encased each individual.

Shrieks, screams, and sobs, as they flailed or rolled on the ground. Kiba smelt blood. With a sick twist, he realized the cockroaches were biting flesh. And then Roach made an angry gesture. At once, the cockroaches seized, and in five plumes of red mist, it was over.

What were once solid bodies melted into frenetic mounds of cockroaches. The mounds decreased, decreased, until in a flicker of light, the cockroaches disbursed. Nothing remained of the group of men except five blood spots on the carpet of the office.

And like that, she'd taken the wind out of his sails. Evidence could be destroyed- -not a problem. Roach- -big fucking problem, especially since Roach, here, was a top-notch shinobi, one that was almost impossible to detect. And with that surprise cockroach jutsu…fear clawed at him.

Fuck. _Fuck_.

_Snap-snap_. "Nicely done," Mrs. Nakamura said, as if she was commenting on the quality of a sword.

Kiba couldn't tear his eyes away from the blood spots- -they'd been _right fuckin' there!_- -he didn't struggle when Roach pulled him to his feet. _Snap-snap_. Mrs. Nakamura had stepped nearer, and she leaned in to look him square in the eyes.

"Now do you understand?"

He swallowed hard. "I'm not concerned. They can take care of themselves."

Both Roach and Mrs. Nakamura laughed in a way that made Kiba shiver. His blood ran ice-cold. These people were psychotic, like S-class criminal psychotic.

Roach answered. "All shinobi let down their guard eventually. Then it's a matter of where to slip my blade or flick my needles or direct my cockroaches. She was lucky, you know, that you found her before I got back. I would have liked to know what she tasted like."

Keep calm. Keep calm.

"Yer bluffin'. There's no way you can get away with murderin' a fellow Leaf."

"You're forgetting something," Roach said quietly. "Missions are often dangerous, and accidents happen _all_ the time."

Kiba felt like puking. They had him from every angle. He saw no loophole, no escape.

"And," Roach continued in a whisper, "I'm…not…Leaf."

Fear sent another shiver down Kiba's spine.

Mrs. Nakamura stepped back and leaned on her desk. _Snap-snap._ "Let's go over the conditions once more. You are not to tell anyone of your situation. You are not to contact, speak to, or be seen with Yamanaka Ino." _Snap-snap_. Kiba wanted to tear that fucking fan apart. "You are not to attempt to kill myself, Yukari, or Roach.

"You are to remain Yukari's love interest and to convince everyone that _you_ are in love with her. If you so happen to break these conditions, someone you care about…will die."

Before Kiba could get a word in edgewise, the butt-end of a weapon pounded the back of his cranium. Dark blanketed his vision.

* * *

**A/N: **Next week: _Shadows._


	13. Shadows

**A/N: **And here we are again, dear readers. Enjoy.

* * *

**XIII: Shadows**

Akamaru's cold nose in his neck roused him from the abyss he seemed sunk in.

_Hey! Hey, are you all right?_

The 'speaking' Akamaru did thundered in Kiba's ears. Painfully.

"Uhn."

The light seemed intent on drilling into his skull. Kiba blinked against the blinding sunshine and shifted slightly to get out of its way. Bad move. His aching head and body rebelled, agony lancing through limbs, up his torso, and exploding his brain.

There was a long, queasy moment where Kiba thought he would get sick, but it passed. A cold sweat stuck to his skin.

He panted, feeling weak. "Ino?"

Even speaking hurt.

_She's alive._

Thank God- -thank God. When he felt the stinging tears, he reached out to stroke Akamaru's fur. Ino was alive and that made all the difference in the world. Some of the hurt didn't seem as bad, now.

He glanced around, careful to avoid moving his head so as not to cause pain. They were home on the front porch and based on the temperature and the position of shadows, going on mid-morning. Roach must've dropped him off after knocking him out last night.

Gingerly, he pulled himself up to lean against the side of the house. He had to breathe long and slow through the sharp pain, as Akamaru shifted to lower his head into Kiba's lap.

"What happened?"

Akamaru nuzzled Kiba's hand. _We were ambushed. Ino…she didn't have to take those needles. She…she protected me…got between me'n'the needles, but I was too slow…too surprised._

Ino…protected Akamaru?

_I couldn't get away to warn you. Next thing I know, you're waking me up. As soon as I was out of the house, I took her to the hospital. I left when I was sure she'd be okay. You were here when I arrived just a few minutes ago._

"Good boy," Kiba said, scratching Akamaru under his chin, "good boy."

_Thanks_. A pause. Then,_ You know_, _I never considered Ino as a very strong shinobi. I'm ashamed I ever thought that of her._

"Yeah."

Kiba and Akamaru sat in silence for a while. Thinking required so much effort at this point, but he needed to figure something out. And fast.

He swallowed with a dry mouth, focusing his stubborn mind through the discomfort. His top priority was to protect Ino. She seemed to be the main target since he had stupidly displayed his emotions regarding her.

For right now, giving Yukari, and consequently Mrs. Nakamura, what she wanted would guard Ino against an attack. He'd have to be the proactive one by visiting Yukari and playing nice. That would keep Mrs. Nakamura off his back long enough for him to prepare a better strategy.

The hardest part…the hardest part would be avoiding contact with Ino. Already he itched to see her, to ask her how she was, to kiss her and run his fingers through her hair. Hell, he missed her very presence. But he'd resist his gut instinct to go running to her.

A brief thought wondered if he could send Ino a message warning her that her life was in danger, even more so after the botched mission. But how omniscient was Mrs. Bitch? The part that worried about Ino wanted to send the message anyway, but all his shinobi instincts warned against such a rash move. Anyone could intercept that message and then there'd be a real problem.

_Whatcha thinking?_ Akamaru interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm thinkin' I'd better be a damn good actor."

_You're planning on playing the prince?_

Kiba frowned. "Old Nakamura is the one to worry about. She holds all the power and uses her lackey to maintain it. Without that guy, her power to threaten vanishes. We have to keep her happy while we find a way to take down Roach. I can keep her happy by courting Yukari."

_Roach is…_

"The one who did all the fighting. He was probably the one who ambushed you."

_That guy…I didn't even smell him coming. I couldn't hear him either. There was too much…scuttling…going on around the house._

Kiba had heard Roach step down the stairs back at the manor- -had that been intentional? And he hadn't thought to use his advanced hearing while they fought.

"Yeah. He uses roaches like Shino uses destruction bugs."

Akamaru popped his ears. _Fuck. That's…that's…_fuck_._ _And you know how long it took us to discern Shino's scent. Canine noses are notoriously bad at picking up insects' scents. But Inuzukas can do it, I think, with practice._ His tail thudded when Kiba scratched a good spot. _Overall, we've got our work cut out for us_.

"Right. We have to start training. Now."

_Agreed_.

Together they stood and entered the house. Over a meal quickly wolfed down- -Ino's leftover dinner, cold- -they discussed their plan for training, cleaned and bandaged their wounds, and soon after, left the house for Team 8 training grounds.

**- -N- -**

Two days passed.

From sun up to late at night, Kiba and Akamaru honed their listening and smelling skills. Insects of all types were targeted in their practice; at first a few, then gradually more and more until hundreds of insects were snatched from the air, foliage, and hiding places and examined and sniffed at until their scents and sounds were memorized. In this way, Kiba thought they'd be able to sniff out or hear Roach for sure.

When Kiba and Akamaru dragged their sweaty, chakra-exhausted bodies back late the second night, they found the porch light on, and their family back. All the dogs jumped forward, barking, yipping, to greet each other. Playful nips and nuzzles were exchanged.

He saw his mother approach him, and he went to evade the inevitable embrace, but she was too fast.

"Oof!" Mom's hug crushed him. "_Mom!_"

She squeezed harder until he hugged her just as hard, and after showering him with kisses, she let him go to look at him. He felt too tired to complain about her embarrassing display and slouched in front of her as she examined the fading bruises on his face.

"Didja miss us?" she asked. "Looks like you've been training hard."

Before he could answer, Hana pounced, putting him in a headlock. Since he was happy to see her too, he let her give him a noogie.

"Shorty-pants has gotten bigger," Hana said, laughing. "He's nearly up to my waist now!"

Kiba pushed her. "Shuddup, I'm nearly as tall as you! And don't call me that, you weakling!"

As he and Hana exchanged teasing insults, they followed Mom and Kuromaru inside where everyone congregated in the living room. The dogs found favored spots on the floor; Mom plopped down in an armchair while he and Hana occupied a sofa.

"So how was the mission?" Kiba asked when everyone had settled. "Didja kill anyone?"

His sister and mother roared in laughter. "No," Mom said, "we didn't kill anyone. We had to provide aid to Suna."

It clicked. Kiba's mouth went dry. "And Kankuro? Was he there?"

Mom answered, scratching Kuromaru's head. "Kankuro's fine. As sadistic and loud as usual, though."

"What kind of help did you give?"

"Heh…protectin' some sorta important shipment."

That meant one thing. From what those bandits had said, and based on the timeframe- -if the bandits had split because of the security on the product, they would have arrived in Konoha before his sister and mother- -so the mission Hana and Mom had been on foiled the bandits' attempt to get the product.

Then, his mother said, "Yer sister got hit on while we were over there."

Kiba didn't register her comment until Hana snorted.

"_Mom!_ It was a tease!"

Mom shook her head- -No, it wasn't- -to Kiba. "His clan works with ninja-dogs too. A perfect match, I'd say."

Hana grunted and fidgeted. "Except that he's in Suna, and _I'm _in Konoha. It wouldn't work!"

"Long distance relationships can work." Mom smirked. "Shikamaru, for example."

Hana growled and glared at their mother. "Nobody asked you. And that's gossip anyway, Ms. Nose."

His mother chuckled, and although anxiety nipped at his stomach, Kiba felt in sync again; his family being gone threw the ebb and flow of his life off balance. Home was home once more with Hana and Mom and all the dogs there. And now he could keep watch over them.

The clock in the living room chimed two o'clock in the morning, signaling bedtime for the weary household. Tired of thinking, tired of _everything_, Kiba stood, stretched, and over the general hubbub of the family heard…_scritscritscrit_.

His heart skipped a beat.

Kiba tilted his head, using chakra to amplify his hearing. He waited. A second. Two. Nothing. Five seconds. Ten. Still nothing. And when a stinging jolt in his inner-ear caused bells to ring in his head, Kiba cut off the chakra flow. Had he imagined the sound, the result of too much strenuous training?

"Somethin' crawl in yer ear?" Mom called, her voice muted by the ringing. "I can smack it outta there if you want."

"No…I thought I heard somethin' is all."

Weird. His own voice sounded muffled. Mom's face became serious as he shook his head to clear it. He had to watch her lips as she spoke.

"Heard somethin'? Like what?"

If it _was _Roach and his cockroach spies like he thought it was, he couldn't very well blurt out what was going on. So he lied, and prayed that she wouldn't call him out on it.

"I'm…not sure. I think I might've thought I heard it."

When she beckoned him closer, he came and docilely let her peer at his ears. Her finger dabbed something at his ear canal, and when she showed the blood to him, Kiba stared at it, terror shortening his breath.

"Am I gonna be deaf?"

His question must've reflected his distress, because she kissed his forehead after laughing.

"No, no. Yer not gonna be deaf. But you should take it easy." She gazed at him. "What kind of training did you say you were doin'?"

"I wanna be able to detect insects."

She clucked his chin. "Oh, ho. Tracking bugs is somethin' that'll come in time. You still have some developing to do."

"I still…_hunh?_"

"Fully grown Inuzukas come equipped with special glands at the back of their throats," Mom explained, gently squeezing under his jaw with two fingers. "The glands are helpful for special circumstances, like minute traces of chemicals that chakra in our noses can't fully pick up. When you've developed those glands, you'll be able to detect a flea in a pack of wolves. The hearing though…that's somethin' you have to train for."

She chuckled when Kiba sighed. He needed those glands _now_, or how else was he going to defeat Roach? More training, probably.

"C'mon. You need some rest, kid."

Kiba didn't protest when she herded him to his room. Hana had already closed the door and switched off her light. The dogs, always welcome in the house, chose to cuddle together in a furry mass on the living room floor. Kiba accepted a goodnight kiss and hug from his mother, and without changing into his pajamas, fell face-first into bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.

**- -N- -**

Something interrupted his hard sleep.

Kiba jerked up, gasping. His heart pounded, and as the sleepy fog lifted, he felt his clothes clinging to him. A fringe of sweat cooled on his forehead as he peered into his pitch-dark room.

What had woken him?

Hair stirred on the back of his neck. The something that woke him was a wrongness in his room- -a feeling of being watched. Testing, he gathered chakra to his ears. Waited. Over the pounding in his chest, Kiba heard it: _scritscritscrit_.

The dry scuttling was faint, but there. Roach was moving around. Kiba pushed off the bed to stand in the center of his room. He could find the spy and kill it, he just needed to concentrate. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could just make out the lines and shapes of the furniture in his room.

He waited.

_Scritscritscrit_.

There. He pinpointed the noise this time and flew to the wall where pictures of his parents and sister and friends were hanging. He wanted to punch it through and mash the insect into a disgusting pulp, but he had to take one shot to kill it. If he missed, Roach would discover his developing ability, and Kiba's advantage would be lost.

Besides this, his mother would kill him for punching a hole in the wall- -if he didn't have a good reason to show for it. Pressing his ear against the cool plane, he waited again to be sure.

Long minutes passed. Nothing. He drummed his fingers against the wall, hoping to scare the insect into moving, but nothing. Gathering the chakra to his nose, he tried picking up traces of the insect, but all he smelled was paint, wood, insulation, and some traces of mold. More minutes passed as he listened and sniffed, but reluctantly, Kiba stepped away.

Maybe Roach was messing with him. He seemed psychotic enough to know how to screw with someone's head. That left Kiba with a couple choices: he could patiently wait for the insect to move and destroy it or he could try to go back to bed. Either way, Kiba felt like Roach could control him.

Deciding that he needed the rest and sleep more than he needed to stay up all night wasting his chakra, Kiba changed out his clothes into his pajamas and slid into bed. Ahh, the sheets were nice and cool.

He shifted around, feeling twitchy, and waited for sleep. Seemed he heard the whole house. The hum of the refrigerator and the click of the ice-maker. The snores of the dogs. Hana rolling over. The tocking of the clocks in various rooms.

_Scritscritscrit_.

Instantly Kiba flew from his bed and pounded his fist through the wall above his dresser. A long second passed before he realized what he'd done, staring at his fist through the plaster.

Had he gotten it? Slowly, he removed his hand and sniffed tentatively. Loads of chemicals, mostly for the plaster, but something musky, too. Kiba stepped over and grabbed a flashlight off his nightstand.

He inspected the hole- - a slow smile spread on his face. He'd punched through to a stud, the sturdy wooden beams under the plaster, and on the clean wood was a dark, juicy splat. Insect guts.

Satisfied with the night's work, Kiba washed his hands and listened for his mother's and sister's footsteps.

**- -N- -**

"KIBA? KIBA!" His sister. "GET AROUND FOR BREAKFAST!"

Pounding, at his door and in his chest. His sheets were damp with sweat. He rolled over, flinging an arm over his eyes. Air- -he had to breathe.

"Just a bad dream," he said to himself. "Get a grip."

After a few minutes, he calmed, his heart rate returning to normal. A peek at the alarm clock showed nine o'clock. He'd slept later than he intended, but after waking up in the middle of the night to smash Roach's bug spy, _then _dealing with his mother and sister about the hole he'd put in the wall, he thought he deserved an extra couple of hours.

But he still felt tired. Poorly rested. And what had been up with that dream? His eyes burned, eyelids drooping, and he had a vague headache. No matter how he felt, though, he could get in some training time today.

He and Akamaru had gotten much better at bug catching, but they both had sensed a need for more skill…more practice. They had discussed at length going to Shino for help, but Kiba didn't want his teammate to ask a lot of questions.

How should he ask for Shino's help without revealing the nature of his plans? As he pondered the question, Kiba stirred and hopped into the shower. Ino's extra toothbrush and towel were in the places she left them. Each day the items served as a reminder for him to do his absolute best, but after that dream…

Kiba should put the things out of sight. He'd been careful not to think about her, but in the shower where they'd fooled around, and then to be surrounded by her stuff, it was impossible not to. Her image in his mind- -her scent in his nose, even- -stirred up thick, raw anxiety that squeezed his chest.

The questions were the worst: Where was she? Was she safe? Hurt? Scared? Did she blame him for what happened? Would she ever talk to him again? When could he see her? How could he ask about her without dropping hints to others?

Probably the hardest thing to consider was faking a relationship with Yukari. How long would he have to pretend to enjoy her company when his mind forever returned to Ino? Showing physical affection would be a pain in the ass, but he'd do what he needed to figure something out.

After his shower, he ate breakfast quietly and left quickly with Akamaru. He'd stepped outside his door, when Akamaru woofed and dashed away.

_Shino and Hinata're here!_

His two teammates were walking up the sidewalk. Hinata waved; he waved back and hurried over, pleased to see them when he'd been so stressed. Akamaru was accepting love pats and scratches from Hinata; Shino looked as imperceptible as usual.

"Hey, guys!" Kiba said. "I was headin' over to the training grounds!"

Hinata smiled, her pretty lavender eyes warming. "I'm glad we didn't miss you."

"Why's that?"

"Allow me to explain," Shino answered. "One of my cousins has recently graduated from the Academy and has requested to meet all Team 8. Being as I promised her, I would like for you to join us."

"Um…okay. Right now?"

"Yes."

Kiba dug a fang into his lip, considering. He really needed to train. And why did this cousin of Shino's have to meet them so suddenly? But Shino and Hinata had done favors for him in the past, so…

"Let's go." He'd just have to double up on training later on.

The four of them began walking to the street, where they would follow the usual route to the Aburame compound. They were a little more than a block down the road when Hinata perked up.

"Oh! Kiba, I almost forgot!" she said, turning her face up to look at him. "Ino's in the hospital!"

His throat tightened. "Really? That's…too bad. Is she…is she okay?"

"Sakura said she's stable, but needs to remain under careful watch. Someone got her with some terrible poison. Ino, that is," Hinata corrected, "not Sakura. Who would do that to Ino?"

The temptation to spill his guts was strong. Too strong. But he answered, "I don't know."

"It was a special type of poison," Shino commented. "And Ino hasn't been able to answer any questions about her attacker."

Because Roach had nailed her when she'd seen the needles coming, not the ninja who threw them. If Kiba had been more careful, more prepared, Ino would be healthy and safe and oblivious. He should have tried harder to incapacitate Roach. He should have listened better. He should never have gotten involved with Yukari.

Fucking hindsight. Guilt racking him, feeling lightheaded and nauseous, Kiba slowed his walk to get himself together.

Hinata touched his shoulder. "Kiba? Are you okay?"

_Yeah…your scent is all screwed up_, Akamaru said from beside him. _What's wrong?_

"I'm…" He cleared his throat and couldn't bring himself to look at either of them. "I'm fine."

"You look very pale," said Shino. "Should we let you rest?"

"Ah, no. That's…that's okay." He felt Shino, Hinata, and Akamaru looking at him. Their pregnant silence indicated their skepticism. "Really, you guys. I'm good. Let's go."

Kiba sped up and led them onward, anxious to get on with it, and when he cast a glance over his shoulder, Shino and Hinata were exchanging a look. The rest of the trip to Shino's was made in silence, shy Hinata and impenetrable Shino had nothing else to say to him- -which suited him just fine.

Akamaru, though, seemed to want to press the point. His dog kept pestering him with questions that Kiba couldn't answer, so he ignored him. He had Ino on his brain and wanted to brood in peace; after one question too many, Kiba snarled at Akamaru, silencing him.

At last, they entered the collection of neat, well-kept buildings emblazoned with the Aburame clan's crest. Smaller houses surrounded the main house, and waiting patiently with the door open was Mrs. Aburame.

"Ah! Shino! Hinata!" Kiba saw her squint at him. "And-bless-my-heart, is that Kiba?"

Mrs. Aburame rushed out of the doorway and enfolded Kiba in her arms. She was an average woman, about the same height and weight as his mother. Her light eyes crinkled in the corners from smiling, and several gray strands streaked the dark hair, but none of that aged her in the slightest.

She exuded love and happiness, and Kiba couldn't help but accept the hug- -and hug her back. He could smell oatmeal cookies and sugar on her skin and he had to swallow the extra salvia forming in his mouth.

Feeling a touch embarrassed, he answered her quietly. "Yes'm."

"Look at _you!_" she sang, pushing him to arm's length. "You've grown! Goodness, come in here and get something to eat."

Kiba liked the way she fussed over him like he was a son of hers. Even now she dipped a hand in her pocket and pulled out a milk bone for Akamaru, who politely took it and left without saying anything.

Apparently his dog was upset that he hadn't talked about his feelings. Whatever. He could deal with it.

Mrs. Aburame continued gaily. "I can put together something quick…maybe eggs and rice? Oh, but we have that fruit that would taste good, too, and then your father-"

"Mother," Shino interrupted. "We've just had breakfast."

"Pa-_shaw._ You're both growing boys! You need to eat," she admonished her son, swooping in on him to give him a hearty hug. "Hinata's skin and bones! Ah, but I suppose you have 'secret ninja business' to attend to. How exciting!"

Chuckling, Shino's mom shooed them inside the house. On first appearances, Shino's clan seemed shadowy and dark, but their homes were open, airy, and full of light. Things in the house were clean and streamlined. No extras or frills got in the way of the folksy art on the walls and the look of the comfortable, high-quality furniture.

"Do I hear some of our youngsters?" another voice called from the back of the house.

"Yes! It's Kiba and Akamaru and Hi-_na_-_ta_!" Shino's mom called back.

Heavy footsteps came towards them, and before she rounded the corner at the end of the hall, Kiba knew it was Chouji's mom. She was a sturdy woman, an inch or two shorter than Mrs. Aburame, with straw-colored hair gathered in a large bun held up with chopsticks. She had rosy cheeks and a quick smile. Unlike Mrs. Aburame's cookie smell, Mrs. Akimichi smelled of freshly baked bread.

"It's been too long since I've seen any of you! How have you been?" she asked.

The question was general, but for some reason, he felt like she was speaking specifically to him. He was being paranoid, probably, as Hinata answered in her quiet way.

When it was his turn, Kiba shrugged. "I've been training and on missions. The usual."

"Any time for a girlfriend?"

Whoa, loaded question. He had to really hang on tight to his reaction. "Yeah. Her name's Yukari. She's, uh, not shinobi."

Saying the lie made him feel like scum, as Mrs. Akimichi's eyebrow winged up, and there was a miniscule pause in conversation before she replied.

"Good for you, dear. I'm always after Chouji to get involved with girls. I keep hoping he'll come around to Ino…she's so very good to him and Shikamaru, you know. And then there's that Sakura…"

"Oh, you old girl, let Chouji make his own life," Mrs. Aburame said with a laugh. "And you know we're preventing them from their secret business!"

"I suppose you're right! We have to get that meal together for Ino. Hospital food is so _dreadful_!"

"Yes, you're right of course. And if any of you need anything," Shino's mom said, lightly brushing Shino's nose, "we're in the kitchen. Okay?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You come down when you're ready…and bring your cousin_._" And as Mrs. Aburame bustled down the hallway, Kiba heard her say to Mrs. Akimichi, "She's such a nice girl, but skin and bones. Skin. And. Bones."

"Secret ninja business?" Kiba asked Shino when the two mothers were in the kitchen.

Shino's shoulders hunched and rose slightly. 'It is what it is.'

"She means our special guest," Hinata whispered. "Shino's cousin."

"Why…should that be secret ninja business?"

Shino answered. "Your questions shall be answered, Kiba. Follow me, please."

Kiba shot a look to Hinata; his teammates were acting strangely. She smiled at him, an odd, little smile.

The smile- -a tiny twitch at both corners of her mouth- -was the same as when she had hid a birthday present behind her back before giving it to him. It was the same smile she had when she'd found out about Kurenai's pregnancy before he and Shino had.

Hinata had a secret.

Kiba couldn't think what her secret could be as Shino led them through the house. The direction felt like heading toward the bedrooms, but Shino opened a side door and took them up a narrow flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs, a lone light bulb illuminated a door that was decorated with what Kiba knew to be seals.

Not the easy seals, either. These seals were there to keep in and keep out. And if Kiba was reading them correctly (his Sealing Kanji 101 days far behind him), then it seemed that the entire _floor _above their heads was sealed. Why would Shino's cousin need to be kept in? Or worse, why would _everyone else _need to be kept out?

Shino knocked a code at the door. Someone knocked a code back. Kiba watched, stupefied, as Shino's fingers formed a sign. He muttered a few words, and bright chakra burst around the cracks of the door.

After that, Shino simply opened the door. He'd brought them to an attic. The room was crowded with discarded dressers, wardrobes, and various other pieces of stuff, but here, nearest the door, was a clearing. A bed had been shoved under a window long-ways, and a bureau with a mirror sat directly to the right of the door. A half-open door on the left showed enough of the interior that Kiba assumed it was a bathroom.

"It's Christmas in July," a voice said. "Please, come in."

Somehow, blended into the sheet-covered backdrop of Shino's attic, was a person that looked like an Aburame. She sat on a couch, and a lamp at one end shed light on her. Kiba couldn't see under the hood or sunglasses.

But the voice- -the voice was Ino's.

* * *

**A/N: **_A Plan of Action _is next.


	14. A Plan of Action

**A/N: **Reader beware- -Ino and Kiba take another step forward in their physical relationship. I just want to reinforce the **rating** as **M**. For those of you embarrassed by descriptive sexual writing, my suggestion is to cover your eyes until it's over. For the rest of you...try not to smile too hard. Enjoy! =)

* * *

**XIV: A Plan of Action**

In the second it took Shino to close the door, all Kiba's scared worry drowned under the crush of relief.

Images flickered through his mind, one after another, as he stared at the hooded figure. He fought against the ravenous instinct to tear off those clothes and run his hands over her ample curves, to kiss her mouth and throat, to wrap her hair around his hand and have her gasp and moan and _under _him.

"With these seals in place, we will be able to speak freely," Shino said, resealing the door with a burst of bright chakra. "We have much to discuss that _others _would be interested in hearing."

Licking dry lips, Kiba knew he should have faith with Shino's abilities; he knew he should have faith in the seal, but he felt distinctly anxious- -doing something forbidden gave him a gush of conscience he was hard pressed to ignore. He was blatantly disobeying Mrs. Bitch's commandments mentally and physically; her wrath, if she found out, would cost him.

But doing something forbidden gave him an adrenaline rush.

"The seal'll hold. And if not, Shino's insects are all over," Ino said, seemingly reading his mind. "Our conversations will go unheard. You can relax."

He continued to stare at her, wiping clammy hands on his pants. How'd she do that? And what she said had made him feel better about being there, too.

Then his damn logic kicked in. "How come…when did you…?"

"Kiba, we're sorry to keep you in the dark," Hinata answered, nervously brushing her bangs. "But it was too risky to say anything to you. We had to trick you."

So all that conversation before about Ino being in the hospital and the cousin who wanted to meet them all was a diversionary tactic. He understood that.

Kiba glanced at Ino. "But how did you…?"

She snorted. "_Hello?_ We have friends at the hospital. We were able to pull a switch. Someone else is in the hospital posing as me. Then we arranged for me to stay with Shino's family until our _infestation_ is taken care of."

"Who all is involved?" There, a full question. "How did you pull this off?"

"Sorry, but the less you know, the better," Ino replied.

Kiba remained frozen in place, shock swirling with relief, as he felt kind of…weird about this. And put-out. Like everyone had been in on a joke except him.

"Let's get started," Shino said.

Still catching up to how he felt, Kiba watched as Hinata sat on the edge of Ino's bed, which was very near the end of the couch. Shino pulled up a rocking chair, and when Kiba didn't move from his spot at the door, Ino patted the couch cushion next to her.

"Come here," she said coyly. "I promise I won't bite."

That was just it. Kiba _wanted _her to bite him. He swallowed as he sat on the end furthest from Ino. That way he wouldn't be too tempted to reach out and touch her knee or thigh.

And he _needed_ to touch her- -worse, her scent tantalized him, so familiar and clean and close. Kiba thought of sticking his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaling her. Licking the white column under her hair. Keeping from her had tortured him; being around her tortured him. Shit…he was losing it.

A creaking brought his attention to Shino, who used a foot to rock the chair. Slow back…slow forward. Back…forth. Back…forth, a creak each time he rocked forward- -the epitome of collectedness, Shino's even rhythm steadied Kiba. The rising sexual predator inside him withered down. Later. Right now, his friends would help him- -he wasn't alone. He could _trust _them.

Finally, Shino spoke to Kiba. "Ino has already revealed her side of the events, so it's your turn, Kiba. Please brief us on what happened at the Nakamura manor, after you escaped."

Kiba cleared his throat, and after organizing his thoughts, told them the whole tale of destroying the envelope containing blackmail on Ino; returning to rescue Akamaru and Ino; and the confrontation in Mrs. Nakamura's office. No one interrupted him, and when he was through, an uncomfortable silence trailed his last words.

"I assume," Shino said, a few moments later, "that you've been training to defeat Roach?"

Kiba nodded. "I saw those bugs, like, disintegrate those guys! I figure if I can smell 'em and hear 'em, I can be on the defensive at least."

"But how could those roaches eat the bones, too?" Ino asked. "Human bones are jammed-packed with hard minerals that aren't easily broken down."

Shino rocked as he answered. "There are insects that live in harsh, unforgiving regions that have special saliva to break down seemingly inedible materials. The cockroaches would secrete highly acidic chemicals if they were from such a region. In addition, like the destruction insects, these cockroaches work together to destroy their enemies."

A palpable silence.

"How'd he get into Konoha?" Hinata asked. "Did he sneak through?"

"We cannot be sure. Perhaps someone let him in. Perhaps someone told him the secrets of our defense shield," replied Shino. "Do not forget that Mrs. Nakamura could be under surveillance that we know nothing about."

Kiba rubbed the back of his neck, unsettled. "So what's next? What do we do?"

"Seduce Yukari." All eyes shifted to Ino. She shrugged. "You were her target, now she becomes yours. You get information out of her that she doesn't even know she knows. You'll be our mole, leaking secrets you observe from the inside."

Yeah, he had surmised that himself; however, the _contradiction_ of the suggestion wrought guilty havoc on him. Yukari was a civilian, even though she'd enticed him into a messy, complicated trap. Civilians and children were to be protected- -that much had been drilled into him from the first days in Academy. He couldn't reverse the ingrained learning, and then, he had to contend with his feeling for what Yukari had done to him in the first place.

"Ino," Shino said quietly, "our priority is Kiba's survival while we implement the proper procedures to investigate and arrest Mrs. Nakamura."

The temperature in the attic dropped to chilling in the long pause before Ino responded. "_What_?"

The rocking chair creaked to a stop as Shino and Ino stared at each other, but after a minute, Shino resumed rocking, folding his hands into his coat sleeves.

"Your personal revenge might get in the way of another operation," he said, tone steady. "Kiba would be caught in the middle and possibly killed."

"We _don't know _that anything is being done about her. We can't just," her hand waved around, "let her get away with this! Kiba does not _want _to marry Yukari!"

"Ino." Kiba had noticed Hinata's discomfort with the argument and cut in. "Shino is right."

She rounded on him, and he smelled her upset. "So what's _your_ great idea? Are you gonna get in a death match with a nin _in the Bingo book_? Do you _want _to get killed?"

"Ino, calm yourself," Shino said.

But Ino wouldn't have it. She stood and continued her tirade. "And even _if _you kill Roach, _then _what? Mrs. Nakamura would probably accuse you of something even _worse_! Then before you know it, you're picking out china patterns! Is that what you want, hunh?"

Her anger spread to him, adding to the stress and anxiety he already felt and caved in his calm. Kiba shot off the couch to get in her face, a growl in throat.

"We _don't know_ if she's bein' investigated. What do you want me to do? Get in the way of a sting? Mess somethin' up that could get 'er caught?"

"Don't _stand here _and tell me you're gonna let her jerk you around!" Her hand slammed into the middle of his chest, pushing him back a step. "_That's not you_!"

He snarled at her, but the scent of salt confused him. Was Ino…crying? The snarl fading, he studied her and thought about what she said- -_That's not you._

Wait a second. 'That's not you' implied that she wanted him to fight, to use action and cunning instead of doing nothing. Ino knew about doing nothing; he remembered she'd done nothing as Shikamaru planned for Team 10's attack on those Akatsuki fuckers who'd killed Asuma.

The anger washed out of him. He rested his hands on her narrow shoulders and lowered his voice. "I know it doesn't feel right to let Mrs. Bitch have her way. But Shino's right. We need to know if she's bein' investigated." Kiba looked at Shino. "Who could we talk to for that kind of information?"

Shino answered simply. "Our parents."

"Un_believe_able!" Ino continued loudly, knocking Kiba's hands off her shoulders and moving to stand in front of Shino. "Use your damn head!"

"Ino…" Kiba warned, but she was unstoppable.

"Nakamura's gonna think something's up if Kiba does nothing! She _knows _shinobi…why else would she threaten Kiba's friends and family? She _expects _him to do something like seduce Yukari. If he doesn't, she's gonna know something's up! Then…mission failed."

When Shino's rocking stopped, a satisfied "Hmph" left Ino's throat before she stepped around to face Kiba.

"See," she said, voice under control, "we can still find out if Nakamura's under surveillance. But if you don't distract her with your interactions with Yukari, she'll think to find out what's going on."

Smugly, Ino sat on her end of the couch, and the way she crossed her legs revealed a pale skin-strip at her thigh. The lust came back with a potent kick in his gut; his blood pressure went up a few points. Kiba glanced at Shino, who'd yet to say anything, and stepped to the couch to sit and to inhale-exhale as discreetly as he could.

"I concede your point," Shino said at last, and began rocking again. "Kiba poses a distraction in front, while we sneak up behind."

"What are you going to do, Ino?" Hinata asked. "Are you staying here?"

Kiba heard the smile in Ino's voice. "Oh, no. I can't suddenly disappear. Besides, Roach'll be watching Kiba, not me. I'm safe as long as Kiba does his job, which, if he trains properly, will be a piece of cake."

Kiba felt dizzy as a buzz hummed through his veins. He knew exactly what 'training' meant. Ino wanted to get her hands on him. He needed his teammates to leave…_now._

"Training," Shino repeated. "Really."

"Boys can seduce just as well as girls. But since Kiba is new in the game, I wanna help him refine his skills. Then _you_ can help him train for Roach."

"I see. We'll leave you two to talk, then, and cover you from the outside. Hinata?"

"Ah, yes," Hianta said, rising from the bed. "Best of luck, Kiba."

"I'll, uh, do my best," he stammered. Would they _leave _already? "We'll come down in a little while."

"Very well. See you then," Shino replied, breaking the seal to the door. He stepped aside. "After you, Hinata."

Hinanta smiled and waved goodbye. "We'll see you soon."

She stepped out of the door. Shino followed and closed it gently. Kiba waited. Ino said nothing- -she was waiting, too. A flare of chakra, and the door and room were sealed.

As soon as the chakra-light faded, Kiba snapped out an arm and dragged Ino over the couch closer to him, pushing back the hood. Blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders as he unzipped the coat. He shucked it off her and tossed it aside, doing the same to the sunglasses.

The first thing he did was bury his nose in her hair. Her scent dazed him, but at the same time made him feel alive and a little desperate. Damn, being with her was like breathing again.

"That thing is so hot," she said. "I couldn't wait to get it off."

He put his mouth on her neck. "I couldn't wait to get to you."

His teeth grazed the silky skin; her head angled to give him better access. She groaned, running her fingers through his hair. His hitai-ate fell, unnoticed. One of his hands rubbed at the bare skin of her back, bringing her closer. Closer…she wasn't close enough. She must've felt the same way. Ino planted her hands on his chest and pushed him back.

He let her have her way, and when she straddled him, he grabbed her hips and ground her against his lap. The sudden pleasurable pressure startled him; he'd known how turned on he was, but didn't expect his body to respond so urgently. She made a surprised noise, so Kiba did it one more time before Ino wrapped her arms around his head and smothered him with a kiss. He wouldn't resist drowning in the heat bubbling from his groin and chest.

Her teeth, lips, tongue didn't stop until she leaned back to wrestle his jacket off him, and before he realized it, she whipped his shirt over his head. Good. He was too hot. She must be too, he reasoned, and with a smirk, lifted his hand to her top. She'd worn the zipper one; like before, her breasts came free with a simple movement.

She leaned back- -sharp pressure on his groin- -and invited him. Kiba could _always _picture her bare chest, but having her breasts in front of him, round and sizeable, kept those male hormones on their toes. His hands kneaded them, brushing the sides and rolling the hard nipples between fingers, causing her to gasp. And when he flicked a tongue over one, she cried out, and her smell went insanely aroused.

The terrifying ache for her jumped up, and he was thinking of pushing her down to the couch so he could get on top of her, when she bent forward.

The whisper in his ear sent shockwaves through him. "I wanna try something with you."

"Okay," he breathed.

But Ino was undoing his pants. She nibbled at his ear, sending sparks to his balls, then at his neck. Her hands were toying with the waistband of his pants, and tugging at them, loosening them.

He caught the smirk when she pushed herself, somehow dropping to her knees between his. Her fingers were hooked into his underwear and she tugged harder, but they were down as far as they could go. She shot him a look with her heavy-lidded eyes, fringed with beautiful lashes, and it was enough to rile him.

She swirled her tongue on the skin under his navel. "Lift up."

He did with his hips and when she tugged again, his whole boner popped out like some sort of pornographic wave. Her confident eyes never left his as she lowered her head and used her tongue to lap a hot, wet stripe from base to head.

Oh. Holy. God.

She licked him a second time, slowly, curling her tongue around, rolling over the ridge and tip. He forgot to breathe and jerked when she took him into her mouth, sliding further down, relaxing her throat and mouth, until all that he felt was a heated cave.

"Hm," she groaned, the vibrations in her throat teasing him.

She pulled back, skillfully sucking, drawing a desperate groan out of him as he threw his head back and dug his fingers into the couch. Goddamn, he was gonna lose it. Air cooled him- -Ino blew across the tip of his dick. Then she lapped at him; he twitched and gasped when the cool/hot contrast proved to be too much stimulation.

His voice had gone husky. "Ah, Ino, I'm not…gonna last."

"I don't care."

Having said that, Ino used her mouth and throat again, and he felt her sucking him like a human straw. But instead of releasing him, she rocked her head forward and plunged him deeper into her throat. He couldn't even think- -the raw sensation had his hips lifting, had him growling and whimpering at the same time.

This time she let him out of her mouth, and he panted, thankful for the break from sheer pleasure she'd been giving him. When she did that, he couldn't fucking _breathe._ Sweat had broken out all over him. He still wasn't cooling fast enough.

"Give me your hand," she said. "I want you to help."

He didn't think he could move, but his hand went to hers of its own accord. She shifted some, sitting up straighter. Her smile as she pressed his hand to her nape told him everything he needed to know.

Without hesitating, Ino ducked her head and thrust him in burning wetness to his balls. Hot. Fucking hot. Languidly, she drew back, her lips tight around him, tongue skimming sensitive nerves. He put some pressure on her neck, her head bobbed down, drew back. Getting her into a pleasing rhythm was easy, but dangerous.

Now the climax was coming, winding him up, moving his hips without thought, bobbing Ino's head down faster, faster…

His balls and shaft flashed with unadulterated pleasure as he exploded, all tense pressure at last emptied; he jerked a couple times, finishing, as Ino pulled away. He sighed, relaxing from the throes of orgasm. Ino stood, wiping her mouth, breasts swaying.

"I'll be right back," she said, and crossed the floor to the bathroom.

Kiba stared after her, but she closed the door. A fringe of sweat had accumulated on his forehead and in the small of his back. Ino had sucked him off. It had happened, but he couldn't quite believe it.

And surprisingly, he felt sleepy…out of energy. Running water in the bathroom. Was she okay? She had swallowed his load…hadn't choked, even. He pulled up his pants and underwear and fastened them. Should he put on his shirt? He stared at it, crumpled on the floor, just out of reach. Nah, too much effort to bend over and get it.

His eyelids drooped. Hm. Had that been Ino's first blowjob? If it was- -good God, he was keeping her around forever. But if not- -who would she have practiced on? Did he care?

He heard the door open, but he couldn't look. His eyelids weighed a ton. The couch was so comfy.

"Are you sleeping?" Ino asked. "If you are, put on your shirt first."

"Hn."

He listened to Ino moving around; the shuffle of clothing. Then, "Here, put your arms up."

Reluctantly, Kiba raised his arms. She pulled the shirt over him, helping to put his head in the proper hole and leaning him forward to get it down all the way.

"Seriously, you're being a baby," she chided.

He knew she liked it. "Hn."

More of her moving around before she settled on the other side of the couch. His eyes popped open by themselves; her lap was open. Score. Unhurriedly, Kiba shifted each of his body parts. Inched toward her. Ino watched with an amused look. A little further. Then he dove face-first into her lap, right where her scent accrued- -smelled good, comforting. Much better.

She laughed as she petted him. "Looks like I sucked the energy right out of you."

"Hm-hm. All that practice," he was slurring tiredly, "on Shika…maru and Chouji…paid off."

"Actually, that was my first time."

He flicked his eyes open and looked up at her. "How?"

Over her bruised lips, Ino's eyes were distant. Her fingers carded through his hair, stroking and sometimes tracing his ear or jaw. He stopped her hand gently with his and squeezed.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His worry for her fought the sleep. "What happened?"

"It's…another secret. Not even…not even Shikamaru or Chouji know about it."

Kiba reached up his hand to caress the side of her face. She looked so sad, so unhappy, _scared_.

"Ino…you don't have to-"

"I had to possess a prostitute for a mission," she blurted, interrupting him, "and I got curious, so I scanned through some of her memories. And now," she lifted a hand to shield her glassy eyes, "I basically have a degree in sexology."

Was he hearing correctly? So that's why she seemed so confident with kissing and making out and sex. But, "Sex…ology?"

"Do you…think I'm a whore?"

Her question had him glaring at her. "Yer not a whore. Yer a dream come true."

Did that sound as corny as he thought it did? But there was the beaming smile he wanted to see, warming Ino's face. He hoped that meant she would stop obsessing over the 'secret'. She leaned over and rubbed her nose on his, her hair draping over her shoulders to tickle him- -hmm, her shampoo smelled nice.

"You're wonderful," she whispered. She kissed him, a loving peck on the mouth, and straightened. "Take your nap. You deserve it."

"Ino…"

"Shut up and sleep," she told him.

Her hand covered his eyes, and it was like flipping a switch inside him. His eyelids shut, and he felt her hand ruffling his hair, and he was fading so fast and then…

* * *

**A/N: **See you next chapter, _By Accident_!


	15. By Accident

**A/N: **Please enjoy!

* * *

**XV: By Accident**

"Kiba…? Kiba," a soft voice murmured. "Hey, wake up."

A moment of disorientation passed when he flicked open his eyes at the friendly pat on his back. He found his face pressed into Ino's lap. Yep. Right where he'd left it.

"Hi." Ino leaned down, and her smile was like direct sunlight. Her hand swiped away his hair. "You slept hard."

Stiffly, he sat up, stretched and yawned. Sore grooves on his cheek, and there was sleep crud in his eyes. And he was groggy. Ugh. He _hated _sleeping hard.

He cleared his throat- -"How long…did I sleep?"- -sounded hoarse.

"A couple hours. I told Shino we would train some after lunch." She nodded her head at the coffee table. "We'll eat and get with the others."

On the coffee table was a tray that was, in typical Mrs. Aburame and/or Mrs. Akimichi fashion, laden with a three-course meal. His stomach growled even though he'd eaten breakfast a few hours ago. Ino leaned over and poured ice water into a glass and handed it to him.

"I thought I could get some training in with Hinata," Ino continued, pouring herself a glass, "and then we could have dinner together. Kiba?"

Would she be safe outside the perimeter of the sealed room?

He had already sipped from his water glass when the question came to mind. "Hm?"

"Would you sleep with me tonight?"

The suddenness and _honesty _of the question surprised him. He tried breathing and swallowing water at the same time, but failed miserably.

Ino smacked his back as he coughed for five minutes, and when the cough died to a scratch in his throat, he stared at Ino. She had scooted closer to help him, so he could see the delicate detail of her ears and eyes and mouth; all the fine lines, curves, and shades that made her beautiful.

He knew she meant to equate 'sleep' with 'sex', but he didn't want to be a jerk and assume something she wasn't offering. Even though he was pretty sure what she meant. Like ninety-eight percent sure.

"Are you askin' what I think yer askin'?"

The tip of her tongue wetted her lips. "Yes. I am."

Oh, _yes_. Kiba leaned to kiss her. Her mouth, the lips and tongue that had explored him earlier, were as warm and moist as he remembered. And tasted _fantastic_.

She sighed, and he felt that sound inside him- -she knew his feelings or she _felt _his feelings. And, yeah, he had expected the dizzying expansion in his chest, but how had this feeling gotten so big?

Ino relaxed and slowly lay back across the cushions. They shifted together, his hand finding hers and threading their fingers together, and then resting their arms comfortably near her head. She radiated waves and waves of heat, _good _heat, heat that Kiba liked because he could capture it inside him like fireflies in a glass jar.

"You know," he whispered, moving his mouth to her ear, and felt her shiver under him, "I thought you wanted to wait until _after _this whole mess."

Her fingers kneaded the back of his neck. "I can't wait that long."

"So impatient." He chuckled at the irony, nuzzling her. "But that makes me happy."

She didn't respond, or she didn't want to, because she turned her head and met his mouth with hers again. He hadn't noticed it, but his heart rate had accelerated. Their chests were mashed together- -would she feel his heartbeat?

The kissing took a deeper turn, and Kiba's hand had just rounded her breast, when a series of knocks at the door stopped him cold. Both he and Ino parted lips and passed a look that said, 'Not again'.

The coded knocking a second time. Ino groaned and pushed him off, and as she went to the door, Kiba tried to quell the irritation and deep-seeded need for her. He glanced to the food, frowned at it, and adjusted himself. By the time he looked up, Ino had opened the door and was murmuring something to Shino, who murmured a reply.

She shut the door, and turned as Shino resealed it. "Whew. Disaster averted," she said, coming back, "but now we only have fifteen minutes to eat our lunch."

"So no more necking?"

Ino shook her head. "Sorry."

She laughed when he grimaced, and they ate in amiable silence for a few moments; but Kiba felt like Ino couldn't be quiet for long. And he was right.

"Will you be letting your mom know you're spending the night over here?" she asked, sipping from her glass. "Or are you confident you can get away without her permission?"

"Hn." Kiba chewed thoughtfully. "I want some overnight clothes if I'm gonna be sweatin' today. I'll just tell 'er I'm spendin' the night at Shino's. She won't question it. But," he pointed at her, "how am I gonna get through that door without Shino?"

Ino's mouth curled. "Shino's not the only one who can seal a door."

"Is it weird that we don't want anyone to know what we're doin'?"

She fell silent and settled the plate on her knees, looking at it like she didn't know what to do with it. He reached out to slip a hand under her hair, to caress her neck; she glanced at him when he did.

"The less people who know, the better," she answered. "Things will be complicated enough tomorrow."

"Whoa. Why…are you sad?"

And she was. Her eyes had changed, and Kiba had never seen them so dark and cloudy before. The sadness had infiltrated her scent, making the lightness of it become heavy, and casting a pall over the mood.

He set aside his plate and did the same to hers, and when he gathered her in his arms, she relaxed. A few quiet minutes passed. It felt _so _good to hug her close. Like her body was a physical part of him; a breathing, thinking part that he'd needed.

She had tucked her face into his neck; he knew she was going to continue when he felt the inhale of breath. "I don't want"- -her lips and breath touched his neck- -"to talk about it right now. There's too much for me to say, and we have training." Her eyes met his; she smiled. "I'll tell you tonight, okay?"

Kiba nodded, deciding not to press the issue. "Yeah, okay."

They held hugged tighter, allowing him to drop a kiss on her forehead, before they broke apart. They had continued eating when Kiba told her he didn't think it was a good idea for her to leave the protection of her room. She, of course, disagreed, and they got into a heated discussion, with her winning it, mainly because Kiba wanted to pep her up some and letting her win was one way of doing it.

He liked that it worked.

**- -N- -**

Never in his life had he thought that one of his teammates would be out to get him. Today, Kiba felt like Shino had wanted to kill him. He and Akamaru had tried all their tricks and still couldn't get anywhere _near _Shino.

Currently, Shino reached down, offering his hand. "You did well, Kiba. That last attack was particularly stimulating."

"Hn." Kiba accepted Shino's support in standing. "I need more training."

"Be that as it may, I think we should call it a night. I'm fairly certain Mother is expecting us home for dinner."

"Yer probably right. I'm worn down, and I gotta get some rest tonight."

Shino only grunted and dove his hands into his coat pockets. Ino and Hinata had arrived in time to watch Kiba get his ass handed to him, and now, Ino stood beside him, hovering. He knew he had to act natural, so he turned and smiled at her and Hinata.

"Didja train hard?" he asked her. "You look like it."

Ino folded her arms and nodded in return. He couldn't see under the sunglasses, but he was sure her eyes were savoring him. The itching for her returned, but he had to be patient. He'd get at her tonight.

Hinata nodded as well. "Yes, we did. But not as hard as you, it looks like!"

"Why don't you and my cousin return home ahead of us," Shino interrupted, "while I accompany Kiba for his overnight pack?"

"A pajama party!" Hinata said as her eyes crinkled with her wide smile. "I'm very excited!"

Kiba shifted his eyes to Ino and smirked. Yeah, he felt excited too. They said their goodbyes and parted ways for the time being. He and Shino and Akamaru walked in silence for a bit, at a slower pace because Kiba's punished muscles complained with the forward movement.

Shino spoke up, almost hesitatingly. "How is Yukari?"

"Ah, fine, I guess." Of all the times to want to talk about _her_. "I haven't seen her in awhile."

"Perhaps you should."

Kiba kept silent.

"Why don't you invite her over sometime? Then our girlfriends can meet, and we would have what would be a double date."

_He's coverin' for you_, Akamaru said. _Play along_.

"What do you say?" Shino asked, pressing the point.

No. Never in a hundred, thousand, _million_ years- -"I think…that sounds like fun. I'll talk to Yukari 'bout it and get back to you."

"Do so. And be sure to ask _her _about Sasuke."

"Hunh? Why would Yukari wanna-_ouch!_" Akamaru nipped him on the hand! That was the _second_ time Akamaru had bit him on purpose. "Why'd you _do _that?"

_He's tellin' you to talk to Ino, _not Yukari,_ about Sasuke_.

Shino had stopped as well. "Will you ask her?"

"Um, yeah," he replied slowly. "Sure."

But why did Shino want him to ask Ino about _Sasuke_? Kiba looked at Shino from the corner of his eye as they continued walking. Shino had always been much more perceptive than people realized; had he figured out what was going on between him and Ino already? Of their plans for tonight? And if so, to what gain would talking about Sasuke produce?

_Ino's a strange creature_, Akamaru said from beside him, guessing his thoughts. _Shino's worried that her intentions may not be pure_._ He talked to me about it earlier. He wants to make sure you know what you're doing._

Pure intentions? The hell? Utterly confused, Kiba stared at his dog. "Say _what_?"

Akamaru sighed. _You know how obsessed Ino was with Sasuke…to the point of becoming bitter rivals with her best friend. Perhaps she's still obsessed, and _waiting _for Sasuke to return. Meanwhile, she's getting practice with you. And you know what I mean by 'practice'._

The confusion parted as Akamaru's ominous meaning became clear. And then Kiba had never felt so furious so fast in all his life.

No, _no_. With the sick drop in his stomach, Kiba abruptly spun to face Akamaru. He wouldn't even _think_ about that. Nails dug into his palms when he clenched his hands.

"You _don't _get to say that about her." The nasty growl ripened in his throat. "You don't know _anything_."

_Just 'cause you don't wanna think about it doesn't mean it isn't happening. How do you know Ino's not manipulating you like Yukari did?_

Kiba's anger expanded, a hot and uncontrollable fire in his chest. His exhaustion dissipated under the flood of emotion. A physical fight might just break out here and now.

"What is happening?" Shino asked, and Kiba felt him close in. "What are you arguing about?"

He ignored Shino's questions and ground out his defense. "She'd _never _do that."

_STOP thinking with your balls_! Akamaru barked. _This is _Ino _we're talkin' about! She's perfectly capable of getting what she wants from you and then tossing you aside._

Kiba snarled again, almost too enraged to speak. "Why do you wanna turn me against her so bad? Are you jealous of her?"

Akamaru hunched and curled his lips back to show sharp teeth; the hackles at the back of his neck rose as muscles bunched and rippled under the white fur. Adrenaline and irritation spiked in his scent.

So Akamaru _had _been jealous.

_Maybe it isn't Ino who's using you,_ Akamaru replied._ Maybe it's _you _who's using _her._ Is she just a warm body for you to-_

"SHUDDUP!" Akamaru's implication choked him. "_You don't know a goddamn thing about me'n'her!_" Kiba scuffed his boot as he stepped forward, threatening, lowering his voice. "I know what she smells like, and that ain't a lie."

_Yeah, whatever. You can be attracted to someone but be in love with someone else._

Literally, his world contracted and turned red as Akamaru's words gouged him, hurting like he imagined how a broken heart would feel, hurting like his spirit had shattered in a tinkling shower of fragments.

He didn't know what happened next- -just sorta…blanked out for a couple moments. One second Akamaru was standing there, low to the ground, and the next second Kiba watched, his arm and fist suspended in air, as his dog went skidding over the ground.

"That was unnecessary," Shino said. "You didn't have to hit him."

Kiba swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Shut up."

Then blindly he turned, shaking off Shino's hand, and dodged to the trees. Kept telling himself: don't think about it. Chakra system stung from the abuse. His heart was not much better off. _Don't think about it_-

An image of Ino smiling at someone with dark hair and dark eyes. Sasuke's damn cold eyes.

Don't think-

Her fingers trailing down a chest that wasn't his, that wouldn't hold this surging, suffocating emotion for her. No one could feel about her like he did.

Don't-

She wouldn't.

But she _could _if she wanted.

Landscape and sky blurred as Kiba raced to home. He needed some time to get out these violent feelings; like, he could seriously kill Akamaru right now. What _right _did he have to speculate on Ino's intentions? Hadn't she been the one to warn him about Yukari? Hadn't she backed him up on his mission to the Nakamura manor?

And now…his best friend, his companion who ate and fought with him, had tried to drive a wedge between himself and Ino. It wasn't at all fair. Kiba _knew _Ino to be honest about her feelings for him. She was _not _using him.

But she could if she wanted.

That stupid niggling thought would not leave him alone. He hated it, despised it.

Then as he neared his home, he smelt the cloying scent of lilacs. _Yukari_. Oh, man, he was_ not _in the mood to deal with her. What would she want with him now? Without slowing, Kiba cleared the trees lining his family's property, Yukari's scent getting stronger with each step, and he hopped over the roof to land on the doorstep.

By coincidence, he landed in front of her as she came up the porch steps. His sudden arrival scared her. Yukari shrieked, jumping back three feet, the same time Kiba stepped away in surprise. She fell, cleared the steps, and hit the ground on her ass with a _thud_.

He stared, at a loss. Should he feel good about scaring her? Would that be an asshole thing to feel? Guilty? Angrier?

And what should he do? Help her? Ignore her?

There should be a manual for these situations. He did not have time for this _shit_.

Yukari had paled from her fright, and strangely, she looked unkempt, like she no longer cared for her appearance. Her hair seemed greasy, stringy. Then he noticed several livid welts peeking from the collar and hems of her dress. Their gaze connected. Yukari said nothing, only stared at him with wide eyes, waiting for him to react.

Kiba felt irritation swarm around inside him. "Why are you here?"

Immediately he felt guilty that he had snapped at her, but his anger with Akamaru hadn't ebbed yet.

"I was, um. I was just, you know, um- -" and that was as far as she got before tears spilled from her eyes.

Stunned, he watched as Yukari covered her face and sobbed. He didn't know how to respond. Did she expect him to have sympathy for her? She who endangered his family and friends? Who had tried to trick him into marriage through unplanned pregnancy?

"Oh, God, Kiba, I'm sorry," she gabbled. Her hands muffled her voice. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry!"

Her stupid tears again. The irritation melted into resignation, and he sighed at her pathetic show. "Stop crying. You don't need to do that."

His words seemed to make her sob harder, so Kiba hunkered down on the porch steps to wait. What a pain. Tension pulsed behind his temples and at his neck.

"Do you…do you…do you," she repeated, her speech interrupted with crying, "hate me?"

Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes, _and_ no. "I don't know," Kiba replied. It seemed the safest answer because all he could muster was ambivalence through the broken anger at Akamaru.

"Oh."

Another long, uncomfortable silence as Yukari's crying cleared up and Kiba had nothing to say to her. This was so awkward. He thought of Ino's suggestion to seduce Yukari, thought of Shino's suggestion, thought of Mrs. Nakamura's threat. Now would be the perfect time to make everyone happy. His inner-child pitched a fit at the prospect of doing _anything_ with Yukari, but what must be done, must be done.

"Hey," Kiba said, as he stood, the coming words like vinegar on his tongue, "my teammate Shino's gotta girlfriend who wants to meet you. Wanna go on a double date with them sometime?"

Surprise under the tears. "R-really?"

He reached down, close enough that if she reached out too, their hands would connect. "Yeah. So stop crying already."

Yukari lifted her hand to his, enabling him to tug her up. Like he'd done with Ino, he folded Yukari into his arms and hugged her. Immediately, warning bells clanged in his brain- -_wrongwrongwrong!_

He felt cold and paranoid that someone would see them. That Ino would find out. The notion was ridiculous, since Ino was the one who encouraged him to be involved with Yukari. But hugging Yukari felt like betraying Ino.

Pulling away to give him a weak smile, Yukari nodded. "Sounds good. You'll let me know the details later then?"

He released her- -"Yeah. I'll…drop by"- -glad for the space.

She took a few steps, but then turned to him and hesitated. "Kiba?"

"Hm."

"I was…so scared you'd shun me. I was actually prepared for you to blow me off or-or push me away. Thank you for…not doing that."

Kiba shrugged. "I'll see you soon."

"Yes. Bye."

"Bye."

He watched her walk down to the sidewalk and disappear around a corner before entering his house to brood about the God-awful day he was having. There was no sign of his sister or of his mother, which was fine by him, and he crashed into bed.

Everything had accumulated into a sickening wad in his stomach and chest. He just wanted it to end, to fast-forward his life to get over to the good stuff. His mother had told him pain was a part of growing up. So did this mean he was growing? And if it did, could he stop it? Maybe just hide out in his room for eternity-

A gentle knock at his bedroom door interrupted him.

"Kiba? It's Hinata. Can I…can I come in?"

He didn't care. He didn't want her there. He didn't want her to open the door, like she was doing anyway, and step timidly in his room. He didn't want her to cross the floor and sit at the edge of his bed and touch his back with her careful hand.

Normally Hinata was very conservative with her touch. The Hyuugas weren't very touchy-feely, but Hinata had warmed up to her teammates, and when she felt they needed it, she would give them a hug or a shy peck on the cheek when they did something to please her, or when she'd been worried about them. The first time she'd done that to him, her face had been beat red, and Kiba smothered her in a hug for overcoming her touch-phobia.

And now, she must have thought he needed to be comforted for her to lay her hand on him so gently.

"Shino tells me you and Akamaru got into a fight." Hinata passed her hand up his back and along his shoulders. "Was it over her?"

She referred to Ino. The stupid lump in his throat blocked anything he might say in reply. And at the mention of the fight, he wanted to snap and growl and smack her hand. The exchange with Yukari had worsened the wounds Akamaru had already inflicted.

He didn't see how he could linger around Yukari in the future when his whole being resisted her presence.

Hinata's hand felt cool on the back of his neck. "She and I spoke together about you. I was also concerned about her intentions. What did she want? What would she do to you?"

Kiba's eyes closed when her fingertips put pressure on his neck; the nagging tension at the base of his skull eased. She kneaded those points, continuing.

"You don't have to be afraid of her answer. She _wants _to explain her feelings. Give her the chance to."

"Yeah." He felt contrite and better at the same time. "But I'm still pissed at my dog."

"_Kiba_."

"He was the one who was wrong."

Kiba heard Hinata quietly sigh. "He _loves _you. He was doing what he thought was best. Can you really blame him for that?"

Grudgingly, he accepted her reasoning. "Yeah, I suppose yer right."

"You know I'm right."

"I, uh, saw Yukari," he blabbed before he could help it.

"Is she well?"

"I don't know. She looked a little…messy. She bawled 'er eyes out." Kiba sighed. "So I asked her out on a date with Shino'n'his girlfriend."

"That's good then. As I understand it, you haven't seen her for a few days because of your training."

"Yeah."

He heard the smile in her voice. "Now will you get out of bed so we can go and get some dinner?"

"Yeah."

The light pressure lifted from his neck, and he rolled over to see where Hinata was. She already stood at the door, smiling at him. Geez- -she could move fast when she wanted.

"Hurry up!" she told him, before opening the door. "I'll be waiting. Oh! Hello!"

Outside the door sat Akamaru. Hinata glanced from the dog to Kiba, her smile widening. She said nothing else, choosing instead to leave the door open as she exited.

Akamaru grunted as he sat in the center of Kiba's room. _Hey there, doofus_.

"Right back atcha, jerkwad."

_Sorry I didn't explain well enough. _Akamaru lowered his head._ I didn't mean to…I didn't mean to upset you so much. And, you know, I do feel a _little _jealous._

Kiba stepped closer. "And I'm sorry I hit you. You shouldn't worry. She could _never _take your place."

_Thanks. That makes me feel much better._ His tail wagged._ Nice job channeling Master Kurenai there_.

"Yeah," he agreed, scratching under the floppy ears. "She's always right. Like my dog and my teammates."

_Heh, yeah. Get your stuff around. You've got a hot date tonight!_ Akamaru sniffed a couple times. _And…I think you oughta shower._

"Shuddup. You don't smell like a bed of roses either."

_I'm a dog. I don't have to smell pretty to get laid, but _you_ do._

"Mutt."

_Lapdog._

Kiba rolled his eyes and went to the bathroom. He noticed as he turned on the shower faucet that the extra toothbrush and towel were missing.

Strange…but Ino was more important, so he hopped in the shower to get ready for her. He could worry about the items later; his worry was reserved for what Ino wanted to explain to him.

Would she tell him the truth he wanted to hear? Or the truth that had hounded him all afternoon?

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter: _Her Promise._


	16. Her Promise

**A/N: **Hey, guys and gals! Welcome back.

* * *

**XVI: Her Promise**

Good God, the Aburame household was _creepy _at oh-dark-thirty. Everyday objects cast shifting shadows; at an open window, a curtain had fluttered, momentarily freaking out Kiba.

Otherwise, he had used all his considerable skills in stealth to tiptoe through the house. Each floorboard had been carefully tested- -each sound listened to with utmost alarm. His heart had nearly stopped earlier when he'd gotten up, and Shino had shifted in his sleep.

It was possible that Shino had done that on purpose to give Kiba a scare. Shino _had _been acting weird at dinner and as they all got around for bed in the living room. Little things, like standing in Kiba's view of Ino, or interrupting any conversation he might have with her, or talking to him until an hour ago, delaying him from going to visit her. Like Shino had been teasing in a sly, ironic manner.

The anxiousness Kiba felt over Ino's seriousness, and over Shino's and Akamaru's concerns about Ino and her involvement with Sasuke, had niggled and gnawed at his mind the entire time. He'd never be able to compete with Sasuke if it came to looks and brilliance in battle. And what would he do if Ino _did _admit to using him as 'practice'? The thought made him feel sick to his stomach.

Kiba's foot hit a loose floorboard, lifted too late as a creak called through the dark hallway. Shit. Hadn't been paying attention. The stairs to Ino's room were a few feet away. Quickly, he closed the distance without further incident.

His hand rested on the cool metal of the doorknob, when he heard a shuffling within the house. There was a click- -a light switch flipped? Some murmuring, and the shuffling came closer; it was Shino's mom.

Kiba opened the door, slipped inside, and shut it noiselessly. The stairway was black as pitch, so he felt along the walls to creep up the stairs. When the shuffling arrived outside the door- -and paused- -he stopped, stone still. At the same time, he prayed, _hard,_ and held his breath for good measure. Move on, please, just _move on_…

Over his pounding heart, he heard Mrs. Aburame move from the door down the hall. Oh, thank God. Air rushed out of his lungs. _That_ had been a close one. Before moving on, he decided to wait until his heartbeat returned to normal, and wipe the sweat that had broken out on his forehead.

Several slow, precise steps later, Kiba reached the attic door and tapped the code he'd memorized. The flare of chakra forced him to squint and cover his eyes, and once it passed, the door opened. He ducked into the soft light of the room, past Ino, and waited impatiently for her to reseal the door.

As she did, the first thing he noticed was her cute rear in some pink-hearted boy-shorts-not the black satin she'd been wearing on their first encounter. He tried not to feel disappointed.

"Yer not dressed up," he said.

She turned. Her top was one of those cami-shirt-things that matched the boy-shorts, showing off her great rack. And she'd left her hair down.

"I wanted this to be casual and not intimidating."

"Intimidating? I kinda like the sound of that." He stepped closer to fill his hands with the curves of her hips. "Leather. Some red lipstick. Boots with heels."

"Maybe next time," she whispered, stretching up to kiss him. "This is easier."

Her arms slithered around his shoulders as she pressed closer. Her lips against his, soft, warm, sweet. Their tongues met with a friendly hello.

Somehow, all the conflict Kiba had suffered through melted away. She made him feel better just by running her tongue along his and by fooling with his hair. Her smell jacked up his senses- -a sweet, tangy combination that dizzied him. Crap. He had to sit, or fall.

Breaking the kiss was hard, and when Kiba did, he realized how short of breath she'd made him. Worse…his whole body ached for her bare skin to touch his.

"The"- -overwhelmed- -"couch."

Ino nodded. They moved as one entity across the space, landing in a tangle on the cushions. He couldn't wait; he had to have her immediately. His hand had shoved up the hem of her shirt to expose her midriff, and continued to travel to cup her breast.

"Oh, wait!" Ino cried. "Wait."

But her round flesh had filled his hand and his mouth grazed her throat. A couple more kisses, then he swore he would stop. One more, just one more. Her taste addicted him, couldn't get enough. One more. Another.

She squirmed under him, knocking away his hand and sticking her forearm into his throat. He winced with the pain, struggled, but ceased when her arm closed his windpipe.

Even her eyes were stern. "I said wait. Please."

Unable to speak, Kiba backed off and waited, rubbing where her arm had barred him, for her to sit up and adjust her clothes.

"You didn't have to be so mean," he told her, throat sore. "I would've stopped…sometime."

She giggled. "That's what I was worried about. And what I have to say is really important."

"Aw, can't it wait?"

"I think it's important for you to know what you're getting into."

"You make it sound like…it's gonna be bad." Nerves fluttered in his stomach. "Is it?"

Her eyes dropped. "I guess that depends."

"Okay." His mouth had gone dry and swallowing was difficult. "Hit me."

"Would you like some water? You look like-"

"Stop stalling and spit it out." Her eyes narrowed at his tone- -he hadn't meant to sound so angry, so he backpedaled. "What I mean is, let's get it over with."

"You're right. Sorry."

She flipped her hair, then positioned her hands into her lap, closed her eyes, took a breath. He liked how she prepared herself to speak.

"Okay. Kiba." Her eyes were on him again, this time steady. "For a very long time, I considered myself in love with Sasuke. I did everything for him. The style of my hair, my clothes, what I said, everything was carefully prepared to impress him. I even lost my best friend over him."

She sighed and in the low light, Kiba saw the glassiness to her eyes, smelt the truth in the words. Saying them was hurting her, but they both needed her to finish.

"And then…he left…for that…that _bastard _that'd killed the Third. To say I was devastated…would be an extreme understatement. When you, and Shikamaru, and Chouji, and the others left, I…I could do nothing, but resolve to save all my love for him, and when he returned, he could have it all."

A single tear coursed from the corner of her eye, fell to her chin where it dripped off. He wanted to go and beat the living shit out of Sasuke for making her cry. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he knew that would disrupt the moment, so Kiba remained at the other side of the couch, fairly seething.

"And you and the others fought so _hard_. Any one of you could have _died_, would have, if it would've brought him back. When you all came back empty-handed for the effort, how did I feel?" A sardonic chuckle. "Furious at you for not getting him to come home. Why hadn't the six of you been able to get him? You didn't try hard enough. You weren't strong enough.

"I was so angry. And angry at myself for supposedly loving him so much but not doing a goddamn thing to help him stay. I realized…I'd been so blind. Sasuke left because he wanted something else more than anything. And it wasn't love. It wasn't friendship or happiness."

Her throat contracted as she swallowed her bitterness, and he could almost taste it on his own tongue. That bitterness worried him- -would he be able to put her together if she fell apart from it?

She sniffled and continued. "I hadn't even registered on his radar. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd declared my love, if I had begged him to stay. I didn't matter to him. What was in my heart for him was worthless.

"That…tore me to pieces. I hid in my room, crying, using up all the tissues in the house. I was a pathetic waste of space. It was a long time before I asked myself what the hell I thought I was doing.

"Why was I so absorbed in one person who didn't even acknowledge my existence? How useless! Finally, I was able to stop crying and stand up. But I felt so empty, so cold, _hollow_. Then I ran into you.

"We bitched at each other like we always did, and then, I had an epiphany. A veil lifted from my eyes. And after being blinded by my fanaticism for Sasuke for so long, what I realized was crystal clear."

Her point, her whole reason for her actions was about to be revealed. It would change him, he _knew _it would. His stomach somersaulted; his palms went clammy. Through his nerves, he smelled a fluctuation in Ino's scent. She was no longer afraid and sad, but confident.

Ino's voice resonated. "You have always acknowledged me. I _existed _to you. And then…I was in love with you. And the way I felt about Sasuke had been a sort of…had been a mask to cover those feelings."

Having said that, she stopped, her eyes watching him quietly as he processed the information. He came up with: Ino. Was. In. Love. With. Him. Ino was in love with him. Ino was in love with him?

"Why didn't you _say _anything?" he burst out. He grabbed her shoulders. "Are you telling me you've felt this way for, like, three years?"

"The feelings for you were…so much more intense, and they scared me." She pulled his hands from her shoulders and twined her fingers with his. "If they scared me, they would for sure scare you. And it's been longer than three years. I guess…I've always had this…_thing_ for you. But denial kicked in because there was _no way _I should be attracted to you when Sasuke was so brilliant and beautiful."

Yamanaka Ino had been attracted to him for _this long _and he _never noticed_? What kind of an idiot was he? In the moment of realizing his blindness, he let go of her hand to slap his palm to his forehead.

Ino laughed. "You don't have to feel bad! I did a superb job of covering up my feelings, if I do say so myself."

"Yeah, I had no idea. Like _none_."

Her smile after that was smug; she shrugged. "I didn't want to scare you away."

Kiba sat back when a thought occurred to him, and the thought gave him a jolt of nervous energy- -a sort of elation and chilling electricity at the same time.

"Ino…" His lungs constricted. "Are you telling me you…that you…love me?"

She hesitated and her eyes dropped. Kiba squeezed her fingers, but she didn't respond.

"Ino? Do you love me?" he whispered.

"I…I don't-"

He released her hands to put his on her neck, parting her hair like a curtain to get at her skin. Her pulse tripped under the gentle pressure of his fingers at her throat.

"Please tell me the truth." He kissed her. "I need to know."

She nodded. "Yes. I do love you."

Only then, his insides shrank away some. He had no idea what to say. Did she expect him to say 'I love you' back? He wasn't sure if he could tell her that; his feelings for her were so raw and fresh and confusing. He'd never experienced being in love with someone before, so how could be sure what he felt was love? Would she withhold sex to get him to say it? She rubbed her nose on his.

"Hey, don't freak out. I'm not finished yet." Her eyes glimmered in the soft light. "I decided that I wanted to tell you this before things escalated because it's unfair for me to feel this way and _know _what the feeling is, and then to…dump it on you. You deserve the time to sort out how you feel. You don't have to say it back…I'm not pressuring you."

Hm. Obviously, she'd spent _a lot _of time thinking this through. Looking at her, he finally understood the secret she'd been keeping, how she'd thought of him enough to be careful with his feelings. All the mixed signals she'd given off finally made sense now- -the whole slapping episode, _everything_. She had said she didn't want to scare him away…and currently, he wanted nothing more than to stay by her side.

"So is this what you meant when you said you wanted me to know what I was getting into?"

"Hm-hm. And," she said softly, "I want you to know that I'm not…expecting you to be Sasuke. I want you to be completely Kiba."

"Well, good. 'Cause that's who I am." He kissed her. She hesitated, so he broke the kiss. "There's more."

A sigh from her parted lips. "Look, I know this is probably a lot to take in. And I know you wanna get to business, but sleeping with you is something that is important to me."

"Hm."

He stole another kiss from her, mind already five steps ahead. She wiggled and pushed him, not meanly. He was stronger, so even though she tried to get space, he could keep her near and place a few light kisses along her jaw. The fog her presence and scent cast over him returned. His body, his _heart,_ needed her. He no longer feared competition with Sasuke.

Ino persisted. "Kiba. Shinobi do things that they might regret, that they might feel guilty about. It could be that something will happen between you and Yukari."

"Hm-hm." More kisses to trail along her neck and collarbone. "Right."

"Sex with you is a promise that no matter what happens, you can always come back to me. _Always_." She paused. "Are you listening?"

"Hm." His tongue tasted the vanilla-lemon he loved, swirling at her pulse. "Got it."

Her hands dipped under his shirt, and her fingers trailed up his sides, sending sweet shivers down his spine. His mouth found hers, crushed, and made him breathless. Against his chest, Kiba felt Ino's own chest heave.

"The bed," she said, "now."

Together they stood, kissing mouths, chins, cheeks. In the few steps to her bed, they managed to shed and discard their pajamas. Each completely naked, Kiba laid Ino gently across her bed, too intensely focused on her to take the extra time to allow her to shift her head to the pillows. She adapted, grabbing one and shoving it under her head, as Kiba stared at her.

Those breasts and hips called to him, but he wanted to burn this picture so deep into his brain that he'd never be able to shake it. Her hair spilled out like a pool of sunshine, her eyes seductive, and her mouth in a slight tilt; legs bent at the knee, the lines of them leading to her tuft of hair and one of her properties he desired most. Everything about her fit his definition of perfection.

And not because she was the first naked woman he'd seen. Something about Yamanaka Ino had grabbed hold of him and stuck with him. Now, more than ever, he needed to feel her, to memorize the curves, the softness of that skin, so he straddled her and spread his hands up her stomach to cup her boobs.

She made a soft noise and let him touch her to his fill. He swooped his hands all over, sometimes gently fondling, other times using his rough calluses to extricate a cry from her. After some time, he lowered his body to hers, satisfied with her delicious curves, feeling swollen, almost heavy.

"You're burning up," Ino whispered, her hands stroking his back.

"So are you."

Her cheeks had a deep flush to them; the heat radiated from her. In her scent, he could tell she was ready even without their usual frenetic bout of foreplay. Likewise, his arousal was there, like a liquid pulling, and though he'd been anticipating sex, expecting that fierce, angry lust to explode out, he only felt relaxed.

They had time, and Kiba was sure of her feelings for him, so there was no rush; he could afford to walk instead of run. But, strangely enough, Ino was tense. He felt how taut her muscles were under her skin, the sweat, and his nose picked up some anxiety.

"Yer nervous," he said, shifting slightly to his side. "You don't have to be."

"I'm…excited and…a little afraid that I won't please you."

He traced her inner thigh with his hand. "Relax some. You already please me fine."

When his fingers rubbed against her slick folds, Ino's hips rode up, into him, and she cried out. Her cry set his arousal simmering- -then to boiling when he slipped a couple fingers inside her and she cried again, breasts rising and falling.

Her misty eyes searched his. "I can't stand it anymore. I need you inside me."

He couldn't help the breathy laugh. "You sound like we're making a porno."

"Shut up," she said, with a smile. "You know what I mean. The condoms are over there on the nightstand."

"Condoms? The last time we almost did this without them."

They would have if the damn doorbell hadn't rung. Stupid genins. He reached over to the nightstand and found Ino had already taken them out of the box and had separated them along the perforations, and in being her usual girly self, had put them in a candy dish to make it look pretty.

"And that would've been a mistake," she said, as he grabbed one and inspected it. "I've started birth control, but it's not effective until you've been on it for a while."

He opened the wrapper, the potent smell of latex hitting his nose (gross!), and touched the condom, curious. Cold, plastic-y, and greasy.

"This thing looks disgusting." He tossed the wrapper to the side and concentrated on rolling down the condom on his erection. "Great. It just made me wilt a little."

"For heaven's sake, you make it sound like it's this terrible thing."

"I don't like it. It feels…weird." Kiba really detested the condom. He should be completely uninhibited- -that was the nature of the world. "Ugh. Slimy."

"That's the lube. Now get over here. I'm about ready to die, I'm so turned on."

As he shifted over Ino, parting her legs further, he felt a slight tingle on his shaft. The condom must've had some chemicals in it or something. Would that feeling go away? He wanted to feel Ino and all her glory without anything separating him from her. Her hand touched him; he jumped a little.

"Now who's tense?" Ino asked.

"You are, still." He could feel it as they worked together to position his tip at her entrance. "Take a breath."

She did and at the same time, he glided in with her help. Entering her so easily surprised him; he expected there to be some resistance or _something_. The condom had finally warmed to his body temperature, and he could feel how her inner walls conformed to every crevice. She felt so hot, so good, like nothing he'd ever felt before.

"Oh, my God," Ino whispered. "I didn't…think it'd be that easy."

"How does it feel?"

She caressed his face. "It feels good, but it…feels like you're not in all the way."

"Here…lift yer hips some."

When she did, they both inhaled sharply when he slipped in deeper. The friction he felt pulsed sharp pleasure through him, up his shaft, spine, and harpooned his brain. Instinctively he rocked his hips; Ino groaned softly, bit her lip and Kiba's balls tightened as arousal surged through him, more from her reaction than from his movement into her.

He leaned to kiss her, trying for passionate but ending up tender. In doing so, Ino shifted, and he felt how their hips aligned more comfortably than before. He rested most of his body weight on his forearms and was wondering what would be the best way of starting- -using his forearms or his hips?

"Hm," Ino moaned, her arms reaching out. "Now's a good time to move these."

And she promptly grabbed both of his ass cheeks and shoved him forward. Immediately, throbbing heat, all over. A grunt escaped him, the same time Ino groaned again. He couldn't resist. Without her help, he rolled his hips forward, loving the pleasure that burned through him. Her groan was a little louder, and Kiba saw how dark her eyes were under the heavy fringe of lashes.

They picked up a steady rhythm, punctuated with their soft noises. His feelings for her stirred, laden with arousal and lust, and he felt so connected to her, like a life-line had formed between them. Part of his logic remained conscious, but the majority of his brain had locked into the tinge of an orgasm that promised to be the biggest one yet.

He ducked his head to nibble at her throat, slipping an arm under her lower back to elevate her hips. With the changed angle the pace quickened; with the quickened pace, conscious thought flittered away, replaced by concentration on the rising, tense heat from under his belly.

Out of some instinct, he could feel the same emotions and the same sensations humming through Ino that had reverberated through his insides. They were clear reflections of each other. Her arms had flung to the sides, fingers curling into the comforter. Her groans had turned to gasps, her sweat gleamed on her skin; she was beautiful, completely in tune with him- -his partner.

"It's…happening," she told him, so breathlessly, even as she threw back her head. He already knew. "Kiba, _yes_!"

After that cry, things went a touch hazy. The heat and steady movements of their hips and the slight tightening of muscles, to get just a little closer, to rise a little higher, combined and flowed through him. He couldn't even think of himself as a whole person, not anymore, not connected to Ino like he was.

So when her body contracted suddenly, back arching her into him, hips begging for uncontrolled movement, he gave it to her, and felt the pleasurable squeeze on his groin, the pressure at its most intense before an orgasm hit, so huge that he couldn't see through it. But, oh, it felt so good. If he made any noise he didn't hear it as he pumped and shuddered a few times and felt Ino do the same under him. After a few moments, Ino's sweaty face, her eyes deep and sparkling, and her lips came back into focus.

"Mission Lose Our Virginity…a success," she said and laughed, low in her throat. "Nice work, partner."

Again- -they were in tune with one another. Perfect harmony. A part of Kiba's brain sparked, gave his spine a buzz. She was his. She would _always _be his.

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter: _Consequences_. See you then!

_Edited 11/17/09: You're to Yer_

_Edited 07/20/10: Replaced incorrect hyphens with dashes = "- -"_


	17. Consequences

**A/N: **Not much to say here, but please, enjoy! =)

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**XVII: Consequences**

Kiba stirred from deep slumber, the likes of which he hadn't experienced in several days, and as satisfaction oozed from his every pore, he noticed how the side of his face was wet, since he'd been sleeping with his mouth open again. No biggie- -he'd come to terms with drool a long time ago, because, duh, he lived with a pack of dogs.

Someone sighed. Underneath him. Kiba found himself sprawled over Ino, who was tucked protectively under one arm. Oh. Her yellow hair streamed a few inches from his nose, laden with the scent of her shampoo and their sex from the previous night.

Last night had been _amazing_. After sex, they'd cleaned up and snuggled under the covers together, without bothering to replace their pajamas, both falling asleep from their long day. This morning her skin and curves felt fresh, brand new against him.

He shifted and found a pleasant surprise- -morning wood. Ah, what the hell. He shoved a hand under Ino for a friendly good-morning squeeze. Her boob was as weighty and smooth as he remembered, and the look of them from last night freeze-framed in his brain, giving him a kick in the gut.

He pressed some, finding absolving pressure against Ino's ass, and kneaded her breast. Coaxing. He nipped her shoulder. A few moments passed without change, then her scent thickened from her arousal. His knee nudged between her legs. She sighed again, and she stretched, back arching, making her breast more accessible and Kiba hornier when moist heat greeted his knee.

"Hm, Kiba," she murmured, squirming, turning, and he found himself face-to-face with her. Her mouth curled; her blue eyes opened. "Morning sex sounds great."

She really _was _a dream come true. Their mouths slanted together, tongues molded, fingers and hands glided along warm, toned bodies. Ino's hand reached between them and touched his hardened length, stroked gently. He twitched under her fingers and grunted.

"We better take care of this," she told him.

His words stuck in his throat, so he kept quiet, reaching back for another condom. Like the previous night, he felt a profound distaste for the rubber, but rolled it on anyway, too horny to care. He just wanted inside Ino as fast as possible. She didn't resist him when he spread her legs and settled on her to obtain that perfect angle, and with some help from her, he sunk into her pliant body with similar ease.

They both groaned when Kiba pulled his hips along hers, the exaggerated movement helping him hit her deeply. Their movements became coordinated almost without thought, the arousal and pleasure burning white-hot inside him. Her fingers twisted in his hair, dragged nails down his neck and back. He couldn't think past her; he was too consumed for any other thoughts.

Oh, damn, he'd never edged so close to climax so quickly before. Had to take his time. Couldn't- -she felt so tight, hot. Consenting to some inner suggestion, he shifted, putting weight on his knees, and he drew Ino up by her hips. She followed his lead and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Kiba pulled on her hips, roughly, growling. She gasped, and he felt her hips jump. Her entire body lay before him, breasts bouncing to his hard pace, lower lip caught between her teeth, hair a mess around her. His body tightened, and he couldn't stop it from happening.

A few hard movements later, he felt Ino's body contracting, muscles rippling inside her, and she cried, "Oh, my God," the same time she bucked her hips violently. He lost all conscious thought as he jerked her against him, the orgasm spilling from her to him, his body too small a container for the enormity of physical and emotional feeling.

Kiba shuddered, throbbing, and he emptied out into her. They stared at each other a few seconds. Then, in relief, he relaxed and pitched forward, face-first, between her boobs. His tongue curled out to lick the salt-tainted skin.

Ino giggled. "Better?"

"Hell, yeah." Her sweet skin muffled his voice. "Much better."

"Shower?"

"Hm-hm."

They shifted, skin sticky from sweat; Kiba grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and disposed of the condom before following Ino into the bathroom, where she had already turned on the water to heat. She had leaned behind the shower curtain to test the water as Kiba stood in the doorway, saturated with what felt like glowing rapture.

The bathroom was small, so when he entered, he basically had Ino boxed in. He stepped over and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm happy," he whispered, kissing the side of her head. "Thank you."

She didn't say anything, but he could feel her smile. They showered together, 'helping' each other get those hard to reach places, and exchanging smiles and kisses. It was when Ino handed him a towel, that he first felt some déjà vu.

"What's wrong?" Ino asked. "You look…concerned."

Kiba rubbed his head. He knew he was forgetting something, but what? "I'm not sure. I feel like there's something I should be remembering."

Ino had turned and she looked at him in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. Toothbrush. Towel. Ino's scent _all _over them both. Ah, shit. He should have taken care of that evidence when he'd had the chance. But no. Like a rookie, he'd hesitated too long, and now, if he remembered yesterday afternoon correctly, the evidence had gone missing.

"Shit. I'm a dumbass."

She tilted her head, white froth on her lips.

He continued. "You know how you used a towel and a toothbrush at my place? Well…I didn't…exactly…_do_ anything about them."

A finger flipped up- -wait a second- -and in a rapid series of movements, Ino rinsed her mouth so she could speak.

"I'm sorry. You _what_?" She slapped down the toothbrush, not waiting for him to answer. "Your mom's gonna know you had a girl over! And if Roach is still working surveillance on your place…" she trailed off, letting the implication speak for itself. "You think she knows it was me?"

"Yeah, it's a pretty good bet." Kiba replied, feeling cold anxiety ruin his elevated state. "You 'lost' your earrings, and I bet that's why I didn't see 'er last night. She was over talkin' to Mrs. Nara."

"You know you have to lie, right?"

"Yeah." His shoulders slumped. "I know."

Ino caressed his face, bouncing to her toes to plant a kiss on his mouth. Such a simple action soothed him. His hand cupped her nape to hold her steady, damp strands of hair under his fingers. After a few moments, she broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his cheek.

She whispered, "You can do it. Just…make it a matter of privacy. You're grown-up. You shouldn't have to worry about her nosing into your business. And if things get too hot, tell her you're leaving until she's more reasonable."

"You make it sound easy," he answered, sighing. "It's really not."

"It's gonna be hard for you to face your angry mother. But who knows? Maybe she'll choose to keep quiet."

He grunted. "Ino. Do you _know _my mother?"

She laughed and exited the bathroom. "Hey. I was thinking." She waited for him to follow her. "I'm gonna inform Lady Tsunade about your situation."

"Whoa, wait. Inform the Hokage? Is that a good idea?"

"Look"- -she started dressing, her shining hair draping- -"the less people who know that Mrs. Nakamura is taking advantage of you, the better. People don't talk about what they don't have any idea, parents included. _The Hokage_ will be able to tell me if there are any jobs on Nakamura. I relay the information to Shino and Hinata, and you guys can figure out what to do."

Warning bells clanged in his head, and his nerves hummed. "Don't you think Lady Tsunade will take action? This relationship-thing with Yukari has to be as discreet as possible."

"So you don't want me to say anything to the person who is in a position to order a hit on Nakamura?"

"A _hit_?" His mouth went suddenly dry. "That's a little too far."

"You know what I mean. You have your plate full with this. Behave around Yukari and her mother, and talk to your team otherwise. It'll be fine."

He wasn't so sure, but before he could argue or voice his concerns, Ino stepped into him and nipped his throat, while pinching his ass. He grabbed her wrist, but her mouth was against his ear.

"Trust me," she said, her breath sending shivers down his spine, "you'll be fine. Make Yukari believe she has you. Work her to your advantage."

Then Ino snapped away. "Get your pj's back on. You have to sneak back downstairs."

Kiba wrangled with his pajamas, which had somehow tangled together, inside-out. The conversation had died, and he felt it was mainly his fault because he was leaving his fantasy bubble for the real world and was brooding over that fact. Ino had already unsealed the door when he turned to her.

He studied her; it would be last he saw of her for an undetermined period of time. The mental snapshot would have to last him that long. The moment turned awkward, because Kiba didn't really want to go and didn't really want Ino to know he didn't want to go, but Ino, in her endless grace, smoothed things over by kissing him, hard, and practically shoving him out of the door.

"Go kick some ass, Kibbers," she murmured before shutting the door in his face and sealing it.

Wait. Kibbers? Where the hell had that come from?

Too late to ask questions. Silently, recalling his steps from last night, Kiba crept through the house. He'd woken early enough that everyone was still in bed- -sleeping?- -he wasn't sure. If anyone asked, he could say he'd been in the bathroom, but, of course, that wouldn't explain his wet hair and the fresh-out-of-the-shower smell clinging to him.

He met no one, and no one was awake enough to ask questions. Good. He flopped on his sleeping bag to catch another couple hours of sleep. Only it wasn't quite sleep.

Behind his eyelids, he saw Ino- -the images he had stored of her, the look of her naked body underneath him, how water and light streamed through her hair. Instances of her smile, her laughter, when he touched her; he could feel her skin and smell her scent and it all seemed too real.

"Kiba?" A soft voice shattered his dreams. "Kiba, time to wake up."

Kiba opened his eyes and found Shino, fully clothed, leaning over him. He didn't even remember falling asleep- -and his stomach growled when he smelt breakfast wafting from the other side of the house. Shino reached down to help up Kiba, and groggily, he stood and stretched, and felt like he'd been in a self-induced genjutsu. Together, they started moving through the house toward the kitchen.

"I have never seen you sleep through breakfast," Shino said. "We set aside a plate for you. Mother didn't want to wake you since you were sleeping so soundly."

"Hm."

"We need to discuss details for the double date."

"Sure." Kiba scratched his neck, plodding into the hall that led to the kitchen. "Whatever."

"Now."

"Yeah, I got it."

Shino grabbed his arm and tugged him backwards. Kiba reacted, almost without thought, twisting his arm to break Shino's hold and was successful. Like the flicker of a shadow, Shino slipped by Kiba and blocked the path to the kitchen. He stood defensively, hands half-raised, feet positioned for stability.

Kiba growled, but backed off a few steps, unsure how serious Shino was. "What the hell're you doin'?"

"We are discussing the details of the date, and we are doing so now."

"Why can't I eat first?"

"You will eat after the plans have been discussed to my satisfaction."

Leave it to Shino to hold breakfast hostage. Kiba's stomach growled, this time with a pang of hunger. Shrugging and dropping his own hands, he relaxed his stance. He was not getting into a physical altercation with Shino before breakfast. Better to make Shino happy as fast as possible.

"Okay, you win."

Shino shifted, but didn't completely let down his guard. "Masako has wanted to attend _The Battle of the Nine-Tails_ at the Great Sarutobi Theatre, and she has wanted to try a new Sunagakure-themed restaurant."

A play _and _dinner? That was the _whole night _he would have to spend with Yukari. In disbelief, Kiba put his shoulder into the wall to support himself. Another hunger pang made him groan.

"The play is showing on Tuesday at five o'clock, and I will make dinner reservations at nine." Shino adjusted his glasses. "You will be required to dress like a gentleman. Of course, I will pay for the tickets ahead of time and you can repay me at your convenience."

He paused, and it seemed like he wanted to add something, so Kiba prompted him. "Is that all?"

"For now, yes." He stepped aside. "I apologize for my rough treatment of you."

Kiba shuffled past Shino with a chuckle. "You've been rougher."

"Indeed. And before you ask, Hinata and my cousin have already left to do some early training."

That was as Kiba figured, so the disappointment didn't hurt too keenly. They entered the empty kitchen, and very much at home, Kiba opened the oven that was keeping warm his breakfast. The intensity of the smell excited his taste buds and produced more salvia in his mouth, which he had to swallow before he drooled. He took the plate and transferred into the dining room, where a bright patterned tablecloth and pretty flowers accentuated the bright morning outside. He sat and Shino sat across from him.

"I heard something interesting," Shino started, when Kiba took his first mouth-full.

"Hm?"

"Your mother has been looking for you."

Indifferently, Kiba continued eating. "And?"

"She is on a rampage."

"Right. She's after my ass, is what yer sayin'."

"Yes. There was something about a girl involved. Was it…you know who?"

Kiba slowed his eating. "I can't say."

Shino seemed to expect his answer. "I see. Also, there is something…rather important I want to show you. After you have eaten, of course."

"Shino, okay, one thing atta time."

Finishing his breakfast as quickly as he could- -there was a _ton _of food on the plate, like he'd never eaten before or something- -Kiba went with Shino, who showed him to a side room with a lot of glass displays of insect species decorating the walls. Display cases contained even more insect collections, and if it hadn't been for the long years he'd been working with Shino, Kiba knew he'd feel seriously disturbed.

Shino gestured to an alcove in the room that had a desk, on which some scientific equipment for studying bugs was scattered and many drawers were stacked underneath. A single glass box lay on the desk, and it was what Shino picked up.

"Here. This is what I wanted to show you." He handed the glass box to Kiba. "See what kind of insect it is?"

Kiba knew what it was instantly. A cockroach. Was it Roach's?

"Father found it on the premise," Shino continued. "He said he has never seen a cockroach like this one and he is studying it currently. So far, what we have talked about," he pointed up, discreetly indicating the attic, "is holding true. You know by law that if something is found as suspicious in the village, is it to be reported."

A few moments passed as Kiba digested Shino's implication. Shino meant that if Roach wasn't being monitored, this roach his father captured would give an excuse for Roach's surveillance or arrest. Also, Shino would have an idea if Roach was _already_ being watched based on the information his father was sure to share. But if it turned out that this roach was a normal, everyday kind of roach, Ino's intelligence from the Hokage's office would tip off Shino anyway.

"If this is an unusual cockroach," Kiba started, hoping Shino would catch his meaning, "why was it so easy to catch?"

Shino smirked. "My father is very good at catching what does not want to be caught."

Just another way of saying Aburame Shibi looked for the hidden meaning within the hidden meaning- -and in a moment of clarity, Kiba understood that Roach had probably meant for the insect to be caught, just as he'd meant for Kiba to mash the one behind the bedroom wall. Kiba knew well the meaning of it: a warning that there was danger everywhere and at all times.

But if that was the case, then surely Roach knew that Shibi would report any findings about the roach to the Hokage. Why risk detection in a fuckin' hidden village just to show off stealth skills? Hadn't the display at the Nakamura manor been sufficient?

Roach was playing a game- -and Kiba didn't understand the rules yet.

"My friend, you had better resolve the conflict with your mother. She is more than likely waiting for you at your home."

Shino's nice way of saying, 'Get the hell out'.

Kiba nodded, and not too long after, headed out from the Aburame compound, briefing Akamaru about everything that had happened last night and this morning. The entire conversation took them until their home to finish. When they arrived on the front doorstep, they glanced at each other warily.

The scent from the house reeked of anger and frustration, two emotions Kiba was particularly familiar with. His stomach somersaulted, and he had to take a deep breath to steady himself before opening the door and entering his home. Chakra gathered in his ears and nose; there was definite scurrying behind the walls- -maybe two or three bugs.

The bugs meant whatever he and his mother said would be heard. He'd have to control the upcoming argument by keeping his mother from speaking about Ino. His job became impossible.

Quietly, he and Akamaru stepped through the hallway into the open kitchen and dining room. A flop sweat broke out across his forehead and in the small of his back. The pungent scent emanating from Mom drowned him; he took shallow breaths, his body refusing to control his air flow.

His mother sat at the table, with Kuromaru flopped on the floor near her chair. More than the scent, Kiba could feel her temper sizzling under her calm façade. Approach was a careful affair, and he kept a safe distance. When he was satisfied with his position, he nodded to Akamaru, who left.

_Good luck, buddy. I'll wait for you outside_.

"Yeah." Kiba swallowed. His heart thudded in his throat. "Hi, Mom."

She didn't turn to acknowledge him. "So you've come home." Barely controlled wrath charged her voice.

"Yeah." The word came out high, so he coughed to clear his throat. "I was, uh, over at Shino's."

"Who else was there?"

"Hinata."

"And who _else_?"

Cautiously, Kiba rounded the table to face her. He'd face her like an Inuzuka. "Shino's cousin."

"I'd heard she was visiting. Is she nice?"

This prolonged question/answer exchange nerved up Kiba more than if she'd flown off the handle right away. Why wasn't she screaming at him, red in the face, and peeling the paint with her coarse language?

"Um, nice enough, I guess. I heard you were lookin' for me?"

"You heard correct. I wanna know," she said, rising from her seat, head bowed, "why there was an extra toothbrush and towel in yer bathroom."

"A friend needed them."

"A friend needed them?" she growled, her sharp teeth glinting in the morning light. She closed in on him, and Kiba backed away. "A _friend_ needed them? A _girl_friend?"

Time for evasive maneuvers. "Uh, no. Just a friend."

"Are you cheatin' on Yukari?"

Whoa. He hadn't seen that coming, and he laughed out of sheer reflex. "No. I'm not cheatin'."

"Don't _lie_," Mom snapped, poking him in the chest. "I can _smell _it in you. And that wasn't the scent of a _male_."

"For God's sake, Mom, I have friends who're girls."

"Yeah? Like who?"

"That's not the issue, is it?" Kiba asked, letting his temper rise. She'd backed him against the wall, purposely trapping him to show her control. "I ain't been nosin' around other girls since I've been with Yukari. I'm _loyal_."

"Yer _lying!_ And here's proof." To emphasize her point, she slapped her hand down on the counter beside them. Then she revealed a pair of studs. _Ino's _studs. Fuck. "How do you explain _these_?"

"Those…are a pair of earrings." He shrugged, planning on doing something dangerous and stupid. "So what?"

"Well, well, smartass. What were they doin' on yer nightstand?"

"Just sitting there. God, Mom, what's the big deal here?"

"Do you _know _whose earrings these are?"

A rhetorical question, but he answered anyway. "No." His hand edged to the counter; had to make it before she struck.

"Yamanaka Ino's."

"Mom. Yer crazy. Ino'n'me hate each other. And besides…those earrings are common."

"If that's so, why'd Yoshino hear from her sister's friend's husband that you'n'Ino were seen _kissing_ and holding hands in the village last week?"

Shit. _Shit_. He had to take the offensive. "Do you _hear _yerself? Yer soundin' like…some village hand-talker."

Hand-talker was his family's way of saying gossiper, since gossipers always used their hands to shield their mouths. His mother had warned him gossiping was 'idle talk good for nothin' but stirrin' up drama', but it was a vice she participated in and denied doing it bitterly.

"You know I don't gossip!" she sneered. "Yer tryin' to change the subject."

So she wouldn't take the bait? A different angle was called for, one that he knew would snare her attention and hold it. The cost of this tactic was indefinite, but it would be high. Extremely high.

"Yer the one actin' like a damn hypocrite."

As soon as the words exited his mouth, a brief stop in time occurred. Using that surprised second, Kiba flicked his hand out as he strafed to the side. As he did, her fist crashed through the wall where his head had been. She'd missed her first hit, but she clipped him with a heavy backhand from the opposite hand that sent him spinning.

He used the momentum to carry himself out of her striking distance. Steadying into a defensive crouch, Kiba prepared for his mother's next attack, but it didn't come. While she yanked her hand from the wall and shook it, sprinkles of plaster falling to the floor, he deposited the stolen earrings into his jacket pocket. At the same time, he tasted blood on his lip.

Mom's eyes blazed with fury. "You have one last chance to come clean, boy, before I set you straight."

"I'm tellin' the truth." His muscles coiled, prepping for the attack. "Besides…yer in _my_ business."

"Fuck yer business. The evidence is against you. You know Inuzukas aren't liars or cheaters. I won't have my son turn into either."

Assessing the situation, Kiba realized she was going to continue to pry into his life. If she pursued accusing him of sleeping with Ino, it would put everyone in danger, danger that Kiba was unsure even his indomitable mother could overcome. It was high time to shut her up.

And he knew what would cut her enough to make her forget about Ino. As his mother approached, Kiba lined up his ammunition and aimed straight for her heart, for her own good because he loved her and had to protect her.

"Mom," he said, the prepared words sickening him, "I see why Dad left."

His words stopped her in her tracks. There was a moment, when she tilted her head, like she didn't understand what he said, but then the air popped. Kiba shivered when he felt his mother's intent. He couldn't even see her eyes, and that, most of all, terrified him.

"_Get out_," she told him, lowly, with killing in her words, "_get out of here now_."

He turned and escaped, like a coward.

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter: _Third Date's the Charm_. See you then.

_Edited 12/31/09: 'Nonplussed' to 'Indifferently', as the former was used incorrectly._

_Edited 01/26/10: 'tofes' to toes. I can't believe I missed that._

_Edited 07/20/10: Replaced incorrect hyphens with dashes = "- - -"_


	18. Third Date's the Charm

**A/N: **Please, enjoy. =)

* * *

**XVIII: Third Date's the Charm**

They had fled the family's compound, stopping in a park when Akamaru refused to go further because, well- -'You're seriously fucked up right now,' was the reason he'd given. His dog sat, the picture of serenity, as Kiba paced, trying to shake the chilling impression his mother had imprinted on him. Nervous wreck was an understatement.

Her look had never been so murderous before. Would she ever warm up when she saw him? Fuck. _Fuck!_ His outright defiance had cracked their solid relationship, maybe even irreparably cracked it. _Not _involving his mother in his life was…was…unthinkable!

Akamaru shifted a bit in the sunlight. _So what now, partner?_

And that was the question. What now?

"I don't know. Lemme think, dammit."

Massaging his temples, Kiba tried to think past the physical and emotional horror. His stomach churned- -and a cold sweat soaked through his undergarments. Even his _breathing _was off. Okay. Okay, getta grip. Breathe. Find yer center. He brought his hand to his mouth and bit it, hard, tasted blood and salt. Focus on the pain. Focus.

The throb radiated up his arm and riding on that pain, Kiba shoved the panic into a corner of his mind; the edges were there, but at least he had space for thinking. He released his hand- -his bite marks bled freely and would need to be bandaged. But later.

Logic dictated that they needed a homebase, preferably one where no one would be able to keep tabs on them for Mom. Some place unexpected. That ruled out the Aburame, Nara, and Akimichi households, since those were all Mom's close friends. They were barely welcome at the Hyuuga compound, and they didn't know Sakura, Tenten, or Lee good enough to ask.

Hm. Left the Yamanaka residence, Naruto, and Master Kurenai as options, and staying with the Yamanakas was out of the question. Naruto seemed the likelier choice, if he was there. If not, then maybe Master Kurenai could put them up, but Kiba don't wanna impose on her with her being pregnant and preparing for the baby's arrival. She was almost due.

"Okay, Akamaru. We'll head over to Naruto's and see if he'll give us a place to stay."

_Sounds good. Let's go_.

They left the park and walked through the village to where they knew Naruto's apartment was. The streets and lanes were crowded with the afternoon lunch crowd. Above the marketplace, Naruto's balcony apartment looked like an oasis, and they jumped to the roofs for an abbreviated route to Naruto's door.

Suddenly nervous, Kiba licked his teeth and shifted his weight. Stalling. The door he faced was a scarred grey with nicks and dings near the lock, beat-up and abused, almost like the person who'd lived behind it for so long.

Asking to stay with Naruto felt like asking for charity; pride told Kiba to find another solution, but they had no other choice but for him to swallow that clan pride and knock. When Naruto answered the door, he still wore his pajamas, but after Kiba invited him to lunch, he was ready to go into public within five minutes.

During lunch, Naruto did most of the talking and eating. Recent events had spoiled Kiba's appetite. Worse, he had to work up the courage to ask Naruto for help. When he finally told Naruto what had happened and asked if he and Akamaru could stay with him, Naruto surprised them with his response.

"Really? Stay with me?" He swallowed the rest of his noodles. "Yeah, that'd be cool!"

"Thanks, Naruto." Relief flooded Kiba. "Yer a good guy."

"Oh, man! This is gonna be so much fun! We can train together, and I've always wanted to play with Akamaru, and then you can help me test this new technique…"

Naruto then led them back to the apartment. Conversation was put on hold as Naruto tore through the place looking for the spare key. While his 'roommate' was busy, Kiba checked out the fridge. Empty.

"Ah-ha! Found it!" Naruto exalted. He held up the silver key. "I knew I knew where it was!"

"Thanks." Kiba accepted the key, knowing it was time to do the inevitable. "Listen, I need to go talk to Yukari about some plans me'n'Shino made on Tuesday. I'll see you later?"

"Uh, yeah. That sounds good."

He turned to leave, but Naruto called out, "Hey! Thought you were with Ino?"

"No. That…wouldn't work out."

"Why not? You guys looked pretty tight."

Talking about Ino wasn't a good idea; he couldn't be sure who was listening. One hand slipped into his jacket pocket and fingered the smooth earrings.

"I'll get some groceries while I'm out," Kiba said. "Yer runnin' low on supplies, and we eat enough to feed a family of five."

Naruto looked confused. "Um, okay? But what about-?"

Kiba open-closed the door, cutting off Naruto, and evacuated the premise. Guilt welled up about evading Naruto's questions, putting him out of the mood to mess around. And his bitten hand sang with pain- -he'd have to get it disinfected.

He and Akamaru traveled quickly to the Nakamura manor, where they found that neither Mrs. Nakamura nor young Miss Nakamura was at home. To avoid any more contact than was necessary, Kiba left a note with the servant Kin detailing the date for Tuesday.

Already, the day was getting late, so they headed over to the training grounds to let off some steam. They got in several hours of good, hard training and visited the grocery for some essentials before heading to their new home. The sun was low on the horizon and shadows long when Kiba and Akamaru walked through the door.

"Welcome home! How'd your day go?"

Naruto greeted him from the table, where books and scrolls were piled haphazardly. It looked like Naruto had been studying hard. Feeling slightly wrong-footed, Kiba set the groceries on the countertop and began unloading them before he answered.

"Ah, didn't get a chance to talk to Yukari, so we ended up training," he said finally. "Yerself?"

Naruto was in the middle of his answer- -something about new information on Sasuke- -when Kiba smelt Hana and her three dogs approaching. Worry clenched in his stomach. Was she coming to check in and report to Mom? God, he hoped not. He didn't want to have to fight against both his mother _and _his sister.

Hana knocked on the door, causing him to slightly jump and steel himself at the same time.

"Who could that be?" Naruto asked, half-getting up. "I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Don't worry…it's my sister." Kiba waved him to sit back down.

"You didn't tell me she was coming!"

"I didn't know myself," Kiba said, then opening the door, "Hi."

Hana embraced him instantly, strong arms bringing him in tight. "Shorty-pants! I was so worried!"

"Worried?" He had to speak into her flak jacket. "You?"

"Yeah…worried that I'd hafta hire extra help instead of making _you_ do all the work."

"Haha, very funny." She smelled like home; the throb in his newly-bandaged hand increased, as did an ache in his chest. "What're you doin' here?"

Breaking the hug, Hana leaned back to study him. Her answer was slow, drawn out. "When Mom wouldn't explain what was going on with the weird vibe in the house, I figured you'd gotten in trouble."

"She…didn't say anything at all?" For some reason, the hurt sharpened, stabbed his chest.

"No, nothing." She paused. "Can…I come in? Or are you planning on keeping your sister out on the doorstep?"

He stepped in her way, lifting an arm to bar her from entering and to show her he was suspicious of her intentions. Hana was forced to draw back a couple steps and look evenly at him.

"I'm not here to spy, if that's what you're thinking," she told him lowly.

He hated himself for doing this, but Mom couldn't get involved, nor could Hana. If they did, Roach's attention would shift to them and become deadly; he wouldn't think twice about killing them for interfering.

So, was Hana telling the truth or lying to him? Kiba gathered chakra in his nose to analyze Hana's scent. She smelled normal, maybe a touch on the anxious side- -but that didn't mean anything and was probably from worrying about the fall-out between he and Mom.

"Hana!" Naruto's sudden exclamation startled Kiba. "How're you?"

Kiba accidently dropped his arm, and Hana slipped deftly around him, the three dogs at her heels. She returned Naruto's greeting.

"Hi, Naruto! I'm good, thank you. How are you?"

As Kiba stood there, trying to figure a way to get her out, a meet and greet between the dogs occurred in the middle of the open space, and to his surprise, Hana dumped an away-pack and a sleeping bag on the floor near the entrance.

_His _away-pack and sleeping bag! And it looked like she'd packed all of Akamaru's equipment too. A lump formed in Kiba's throat and shame heated his face, as Naruto chuckled and mentioned his training.

When Hana's attention refocused on him, he felt under inspection from both of them, and Kiba felt that an understanding had passed between his sister and his now-roommate.

"So." Her hands went to her hips. "What's going on?"

Naruto leaned in. "Yeah. What's goin' on?"

Nerves and guilt and stubbornness mixed together, tensing the muscles in his shoulders. To avoid answering, he sighed and stepped over to continue emptying out the grocery bags. He'd been evasive and non-specific when he'd told Naruto about the argument, and he'd have to be the same to Hana.

"Mom just had some…wrong ideas about me."

His sister helped him with the groceries. "Wrong ideas?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Because I just don't!" He huffed in frustration, setting down a glass jar too heavily. "It's complicated."

"Sorry. It must've been big for Mom to chase you outta the house."

Her innocently bringing it up jabbed him in the heart. Ouch. He prevented the wince from showing by opening the cabinet door above the counter. He didn't answer as he organized the cans and boxes on the shelves.

"What do you mean by big?" Naruto wanted to know.

There was a pause before Hana replied. "I can think of two things that would make our mother go off the deep end."

The panic rippled through him- -_Red alert! Red alert!_- -and before she could continue, Kiba jumped into the conversation. "Hey, Hana. Wouldja mind choppin' the veggies?" The chopping board was on the counter so he shoved it at Hana. "I don't know where the knives are."

He could tell she saw right though him when she smirked. "Looks like you were planning an Everything Pot tonight."

"It's quick'n'easy." Kiba turned to Naruto. "The knives?"

Naruto stood by the table, looking on with a mix of sadness, curiosity, and something else. "In the drawer next to the sink."

Hana spoke as Kiba reached for the drawer. "You and Naruto need to decide who's setting the table, feeding the dogs, and manning the pot."

As he handed her the butcher knife, Kiba nodded, and accepted Hana's control because being told what to do was easier than him thinking of it himself. He and Naruto divided the leftover tasks- -he set up the dinner bowls and fixed up the dog food as Naruto set the table and then helped Hana stir in the ingredients.

"Lying and cheating," Hana said when Naruto stood next to her at the stove. "That's what would've gotten him kicked out of the house."

Sonova- -"Hana! Shut up!"

"So which was it?" Naruto asked.

"_Neither! Stop talking about it!_"

Hana continued as though he didn't exist. "Probably lying. Although someone who wasn't Yukari used my hairbrush. So that points to cheating."

"SHUT UP!" The panic and guilt and hurt were full-blown, careening through his system unchecked. He had to make them stop. "IT'S NONE OF YER FUCKIN' BUSINESS! I'M NOT A GODDAMNED CHEATER!"

Hana and Naruto stared at him as though he'd lost his mind. Frustrated, _scared_, Kiba escaped through the front door and ran until he couldn't breathe anymore. He'd run blindly, so he didn't even know where he was. It didn't matter. The panic was there, saturating through him, scattering even the most rational of thoughts, increasing with the rapidity of his heartbeat.

Had Roach heard that? Had Hana given Roach what he wanted? What would Mrs. Nakamura do? What should _he_ do?

Sudden pain surprised him. "Ah!"

He sank to his knees, poking some fingers into the cramp in his side, the other hand flat on the cool cement for balance. What should he do? He didn't know. He didn't know. He couldn't breathe, he was suffocating, _dying, _why couldn't he breathe…?

Tears stung his eyes. Angrily he pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping to stave the crying because it was fucking pathetic and he _would not _be a sobbing mess…

"Kiba? Are you all right?"

That male voice dried the tears right up. Nervously, Kiba looked to the side, and as he saw Inoichi approaching from the right, he stood up. Great. Just great. Could this day possibly get any worse?

Inoichi was probably here to interrogate him about his activities with Ino. Or to kill him. Kiba's knees felt watery, and he concentrated chakra in his nose to search for Inoichi's other two teammates, Akimichi Chouza and Nara Shikaku. They weren't around; must be that Inoichi was working alone tonight.

Inoichi came closer, but stopped short, when Kiba stepped back. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"I'm fuckin' fine."

Inoichi's eyebrows jumped at his language. Kiba didn't care and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets before the shaking gave him away. His fingers found the earrings and worried them. He wished she was there with him. _She'd _know what to do. When Inoichi shifted, the warning growl leapt from Kiba's throat automatically.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Inoichi lifted his hands out in plain sight, eyes concerned and cautious. "What's happened?"

Inoichi's hands. Kiba's eyes zeroed in on them. "Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine."

"Are you surprised that I don't believe you? That's my specialty, you know. Finding the truth." Inoichi chuckled when Kiba shifted back suspiciously. "Didn't I tell you I'm not here to hurt you?"

"Don't fuck with me."

Inoichi studied him. "I'm not. I'm asking questions. I'm concerned about-" _my daughter's lover_.

The pointed, almost physical thought, layered over whatever Inoichi had said, stole the breath from him, like electricity zapping through him. A warning sounded at the back of Kiba's head.

"Leave me alone."

"I will when you-" _answer my questions_.

There it was again, the thought that he _felt._ Irritated with Inoichi's games and presence, Kiba withdrew his hands from his pockets, fingers clawed, and growled. "Fucking leave me alone."

"Bad language isn't going to deter me. Tell me what's caused you to be upset."

For a long moment, Kiba was sorely tempted. Inoichi looked and _smelled _so much like Ino that spilling his guts would be so easy, but that fear, that panic, warned him from doing something so foolish. Still- -the need to tell the story from the beginning was overwhelming. He stepped back again, unsure of how to react.

Inoichi persisted. "I can help you. Just tell me what's wrong."

"I…" Kiba's throat closed; he felt dizzy. He wanted to. He wanted to so badly. "I…can't."

"Relax. Get some air."

Kiba inhaled a few times; the dizziness left. He glared at Inoichi, knowing something strange was going on, but powerless to avoid it.

Inoichi continued. "You can tell me."

He had no time to prepare. Stronger emotions than his fear and chaotic panic welled up, connecting to the memories, and it was like he was reliving them, each cutting word, each reaction and feeling, somehow becoming a vivid daydream he got lost in.

First was what had happened in Naruto's kitchen; Hana blurting out that shit about him being a liar and cheater, him running scared from the apartment because they wouldn't leave him alone about the argument with Mom, her words were crystal clear, the backhand across his face, his own words to her that had forced her silence about…Ino.

The bookstore. He was _there,_ surrounded by shelves and whisper-disturbed quiet, the smell of new paper and ink, and Ino two feet away, reaching up for a paperback that she'd spotted, which he grabbed for her, and her grateful smile moved him, and oh, he remembered this- -he set the stack of books on a shelf so he could touch her hair and her face because he needed her beside him, needed her close and safe, especially after she'd just saved his ass with the whole Yukari-catching-him thing- -

A flicker of movement in the corner of his eye; some barking and howling. "Kiba!"

- -that didn't make a shred of difference especially since now everyone was in danger from fucking Roach and Mrs. Bitch, and he couldn't escape them no matter where he went, what he did, and he couldn't keep others out of his business- -

"_Stop what you're doing!_"

- -she'd _warned _him that if anyone found out that Ino'd be the first killed, and there was no way she'd be able to fight against all _that _and it scared him out of his mind- -ouch_._

A nip on his arm ended the thought abruptly. He blinked, trying to gain his bearings since the broken daydream left him disoriented.

Akamaru was beside him. _Are you okay?_

Kiba knew where he was- -near the Hokage's Office, but how'd he get here? He felt like he was waking up from a deep slumber.

"I…don't know."

"_What the fuck did you do to him?_" Hana yelled at Inoichi, drawing Kiba's attention. Her hands had fisted his shirtfront and she was in his face. The triplets surrounded them, hunched and snarling. "_Tell me right now!_"

Inoichi didn't bat an eye. He covered Hana's hands with his own. "It's not what I did. It's what _you_ did."

She released him like he'd burned her. "_What?_"

"I'm giving you a warning. Let him be. Don't dig into him like that or you might lose him."

In the shocked silence that followed, Inoichi disappeared into the dark night surrounding them and ended anything further his sister might have to say to him. Hana stared after Inoichi, and in the meanwhile, Kiba rubbed his eyes. Tired. That's how he felt. And hungry. Emotionally, things inside had calmed down, and that was a relief, at least.

"Let's go, guys," Hana said softly. "Dinner's waiting."

He didn't question her, as they all headed back to Naruto's apartment where the conversation steered away from Kiba's problems and the weird encounter with Inoichi. He wasn't sure what to make of what happened, so he didn't think about it. Then, as Hana opened the door to leave, Kiba gave her a tight hug, which she returned in kind and with a kiss on the head.

"You'll be home soon, baby brother," she said. "I'll come and visit as often as I can. And I won't…hurt you anymore."

Kiba didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. He watched her and the dogs disappear in the night and stood outside the door long after they were gone from his sight.

**- -N- -**

Tuesday afternoon was here, with torture in store the likes of which he hadn't seen since the first chunin exam. The mirror reflected his frown, his bare forehead. Kiba tugged at the unforgiving collar choking him. Damn, he didn't feel normal wearing these clothes.

_You clean up nice,_ Akamaru commented from the doorway of the bathroom. _I don't think I've seen you wear a shirt with a collar before._

"Yeah, and there's a good reason for that, too." Collars made him feel leashed. He never wore them if he had to. "I wanna get this over with as fast as possible."

_Nuh-uh. Don't be that way. You know you hafta be charming_.

"Fuck charming."

Akamaru growled a warning. Kiba pressed his forehead against the mirror, naked without his hitai-ate. Weapons. Leather jacket. _Anything _shinobi.

"Can't I just take _one _kunai? Please?"

_Heh. No, sorry._

"Can't you go in my- -"

_Stop your bitchin'. We've been through this before. My answer stands._

"KIBA, I'M HOME!" Naruto shouted from the front. "ARE YOU HERE?"

"Yeah."

"WHAT?"

"I _said_, YEAH!" Kiba exited the bathroom and bumped into Naruto who was coming in. "Whoa, sorry."

Naruto stepped back. His eyes shifted down and up. "Oh…wow. You look…different."

Kiba snorted. "Gee. Thanks."

"No…I mean…it's a good thing. Just…I've never seen you…dressed like that."

"Naruto. This is how yer supposed to look for a date."

"I _know_. I…uh…" He laughed nervously. "Never mind. Are you leaving?"

"Getting ready to."

There was a pause as Naruto studied him, like there was something wrong. Which, there _was _something wrong, just something wrong he couldn't talk about. But…surprisingly, he could think of Ino without feeling like he'd go crazy from not seeing her, and similarly, when he thought of his mother, there was the same emotional ambivalence. He liked having his emotions kicked back into neutral; saved him from the eating guilt.

"You don't look…" Naruto said, drawing Kiba's attention again. He shrugged and seemed to struggle for words. "You haven't seemed…happy, I guess. In a while."

Naruto's spot-on observation annoyed him, especially with the blue eyes shining in concern and searching Kiba for answers. How could he be happy when his whole life was turned upside down because of the girl he was taking out that very night? Nothing made sense anymore. His hand ducked into his pocket to touch the earrings.

"Not everyone can be happy all the time." Kiba stepped around Naruto. "That sort of thing can't happen."

"Why not?"

"It doesn't."

"But why not?"

"It _doesn't_!"

"_But why?_" Naruto persisted.

Kiba's patience snapped. "_What are you? Two? It just doesn't!_"

He heard Naruto's wounded pause, smelled the sorrow in the other's scent, which made Kiba want to wither away into nothing from the intense attack of guilt. Oh, that's where it'd been this entire time.

_Nice work, jerk_, Akamaru snuffed from the side. _You're getting too good at saying mean things lately._

"Quiet," Kiba told his dog, and then to Naruto, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Naruto gave an odd half-smile. "No, it's cool. You have a good time." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Or…at least _try_."

As Naruto turned away, the scent of his sadness lingered. Dammit, the apology had not been enough, but Kiba had to pick up Yukari for the date and couldn't stay to beg for forgiveness. Argh…why was everything he did _wrong_?

_Good luck_, Akamaru said as he opened the front door.

"Yeah."

Gonna need it to get through this evening.

Kiba walked, since he didn't want to show up sweaty to Yukari's. The thing with Naruto pestered him the entire way. There was nothing worse than an uncomfortable atmosphere between two people living together…and especially since Kiba couldn't return to his home, for obvious reasons, amending things with Naruto was the best option.

At least Shino would be there to diffuse any awkward situations Kiba might fall prey to. Maybe Masako would take Yukari's attention off him. His main problem was that he'd be faking attraction. How would he _fake _being attracted? Guess he had to figure it out.

Which brought around a new difficulty: would Roach be prowling around? Nothing bad had happened since the night Hana had visited, and Naruto's apartment had been quiet- -too quiet- -recently and that bothered Kiba. Surely Roach would've followed him to the new residence? But no scuttling, no _scritscritscrit_, nothing! Like Roach had left town. If only. He wished he knew what the hell was going on.

When he arrived at the Nakamura manor, Kiba stopped abruptly to watch the windows for movement. Hn. Something felt weird.

All was still, but he could smell the people inside. A distinct pall hung over the building- -not the scent of death per se, though there was that, but a scent of hesitation, of paranoia, of anxiety bordering on fear that he'd missed the first time around.

Perhaps there was something now to fear.

At the gate, Kiba stalled. He thought of a hundred reasons not to press the buzzer and only one to go ahead with it. Master Kurenai had told them that there would be some missions that would make it difficult to separate emotions from logic.

The trick, she'd said, was to keep focus on the end result. Thinking of the end result would always make the means worthwhile and therefore easier to accomplish.

Would it work? Kiba sure hoped so as he buzzed the Nakamura manor. He really wanted to get to the end result:

Ino.

* * *

**A/N: **And there we have it. Next chapter: _Desert Sands._ See you then!


	19. Desert Sands

**A/N: **Please, enjoy! =)

* * *

**XIX: Desert Sands**

Rooftop. Sunagakure-themed restaurant, Desert-something. Sands, probably. He really didn't know. Or care.

Kiba leaned forward on the edge of the sign that crested the short wall around the roof. The neon cast yellow-pink-blue hues over him. Further out, the midnight blue sky outlined the black Konoha cityscape. Lights here and there made pathways up and down streets. The air stirred- -a breeze rose and died. People below laughing, chatting, going in, going out. Oblivious to him.

He wished he was one of them. With a gentle finger, he rolled the earrings in the palm of his opposite hand. Definitely wouldn't be hiding out if _she _was with him.

They would be laughing right now, talking with Shino and Masako. Enjoying their time together. Ino would laugh at one of his stupid jokes ('cause in this dream he was funny) and like predicting the other's thoughts, they would lean together and kiss.

An ache pounded his chest. He'd better stop. But couldn't…didn't want to…

They would sneak to somewhere special- -like the top of the Hokage Tower, and star-gaze. (He'd have a blanket and pillow stored up there, for just that reason.) Laying back, the swirl of stars above them, he'd point out the constellations he knew, and she'd help him, laughing, because she was smarter than he was about astronomy. And getting frustrated- -but playfully- -he'd kiss her to shut her up.

Her lipgloss would taste good, something-berry, and his hand would caress her hip. She'd break the kiss to scoot closer, so he could put his arms around her. Those light eyes would be looking inside him, wanting him as wholly as he wanted her. Mouths would press together, and she'd part her lips, letting him touch his tongue to hers. Then-

"Kiba." Shino's voice came from behind him; the dream shattered. "I thought I would find you here."

Kiba closed his hand around the earrings. "Yeah. I needed some space."

"That is understandable. I noticed how uncomfortable you were during the play."

Ah. He'd seen. During the play, Kiba had had to unbutton his shirt some because his collar choked him, and especially with the closeness of people in the theater, he couldn't breathe. Yukari had been wearing that overpowering lilac scent, and to remain seated and not run for the exit took all the discipline he had.

Once at the restaurant, he couldn't stand it anymore. He felt like playing prince with Yukari had drained his soul from his body, so before he went bat-shit, he'd excused himself to the bathroom, jimmied the window there, and hopped to the roof.

"The girls are worried about you."

Kiba shrugged and continued to stare out over Konoha. He wanted to be in the field, with fire, silence, the rush of wind through the trees…anywhere but _here_.

In a movement meant to warn, Shino scuffed his shoe- -and Kiba felt his teammate approach. "You should come back in."

An exasperated growl rumbled in Kiba's throat.

"Do not give up. Think of what you will lose if you do," Shino said quietly, and his hand weighed on Kiba's shoulder. "You have to perform to perfection."

What Shino said was true, of course. "Grin'n'bear it, right?"

"Truly you are to be admired."

The quiet comment shocked Kiba into silence, and he turned to gape at the reserved figure standing next to him. _Shino_ admired _him_? No freakin' way.

"Do not think me above such a feeling as envy," Shino continued. Though the sunglasses hid his eyes, Kiba could feel his gaze. "You have always possessed an inner-strength that I had often could not comprehend. _This _is a perfect example."

"Awww…yer embarrassin' me." Heat had flooded to his face. "We're havin' such a…touching moment."

"Indeed, warm and fuzzy."

Shino's deadpan speech and the ridiculousness of the words coming from him tickled Kiba, and he laughed, really laughed, and that felt good. Shino didn't show it, but Kiba knew he was laughing along, on the inside.

"We had better return," Shino said as he dropped his hand from Kiba's shoulder, "before the girls think we have abandoned them."

"Yeah, sure."

He and Shino left the roof to return to the restaurant. The murmur of the diners, the clinks of plates and glasses, and the delicious scent of food eased Kiba back into company. Shino's kind words stayed with him, making him feel better and boosting his confidence. He could _do _this. He only had to mimic what he would do with Ino. Easy. Well, kinda.

They wound through the open area to the table. The girls greeted them; Masako smiled, shaking her blondish hair over her shoulder, but Yukari looked concerned.

"Is everything okay?" she asked when he sat beside her.

"Yep. I had a headache and needed some air. I'm good now."

Her hand clutched his shirt sleeve. "Kiba," she said softly, "if…if you want to leave, we can. I'd…understand."

Hm. So very tempting to accept her offer. He smiled instead and worked loose her hand.

"No, it's okay. Thank you, though."

When he kissed her fingers, Yukari visibly relaxed, and the worry melted from her face, revealing a relieved smile.

The time was well past ten-thirty before they said their goodbyes and Kiba began walking Yukari home. As it had been with their first date, Yukari rested her hand in the crook of his elbow, but the gesture had a wildly different effect on him. He sort of…wanted to shake off her hand and leave her.

"Shino and Masako are really very nice," Yukari said. "I'm glad I got a chance to go out with them."

"They were excited to meet you, too."

Hairs stirred on the back of Kiba's neck, the sure indicator that something, or someone, was watching them or- -

"Oh, I'm glad. I had so much fun tonight with them. I hope we can do it again soon!" she said.

"Uh-huh."

- -following them.

Kiba tilted his head and charged chakra to his nose, powering through Yukari's lilac aroma. Hm. A three-man cell. They were taking pains to cover their approach, but Kiba could smell their adrenaline-induced sweat- -two boys and a girl, all of them non-adults- -the faint _taptap_ of boots, as they hopped over the rooftops.

"Do you think that we could plan another double date? I know that there's a festival in one of the other towns coming up. Would it be too much trouble to go?"

"No…"

Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. They could be passing him by for a mi…ah, shit. Nope. They had taken positions in selected spots on opposite sides of the walkway.

"I'll be sure to ask my mother, and then we can plan it together!" Yukari continued. "She'll be so pleased to hear of it."

He assumed they were another batch of Mrs. Bitch's hired goons and wondered if they were from Hidden Leaf or if they had been imported from somewhere else. Either way, Kiba recognized the ploy for what it was.

Mrs. Bitch didn't trust him to protect Yukari, or it could be that she wanted to see what he could do in battle. Whatever the case may be, this wasn't the time to hypothesize.

Yukari had said something he missed. "Kiba? Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Sure, whatever you want, kitten."

She shot him a confused look, but he had other concerns. Since he was without a single kunai or shiruken- -thanks to Akamaru's suggestions, he might add- -he had to avoid direct melee combat, at least until he could get the cell separated or onto grounds of his choosing. So his best option was flight rather than fight.

On the sides of the walks were plenty of trashcans and other moveable items. A transformation jutsu to mimic both himself and Yukari would allot the seconds needed for escape. His priority was to get Yukari out of harm's way; he had an idea how Mrs. Bitch would react to her precious treasure getting hurt on his watch.

Leaning in so that his mouth was close to her ear, Kiba said, "Don't be alarmed." She tensed, but when he put his hand on her back, she relaxed a little. "We got company. I'm gonna use jutsu. Pretend yer feeling sick."

Like the good actress she was, Yukari wobbled on her feet and groaned.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't…" She staggered some, "I don't feel well."

"Okay, take it easy." Kiba guided her towards the nearest wall and trashcans, where he whispered to her. "Go limp."

She did so on-cue. In the scuffle of catching her, Kiba pulled off the transformation jutsu; he swept up Yukari and dashed to a darkened doorway. Once there, he set Yukari on her feet.

"Yer gettin' on my back," he told her, his voice so low, he was surprised when she nodded her agreement. "Hurry."

He rotated, felt her lean into him, and the sweaty knee-pits rested in his ready hands. Her arms enclosed his neck. Kiba's nose monitored the movement of the cell as they closed in on the transformed trashcans.

Instead of waiting, Kiba snuck into the shadow of the building, keeping his attention divided carefully between the pursuers and his path. Around the corner he tiptoed. Yukari's breathing sounded too loud near his ear, and when he leapt without warning, she gasped, and thankfully, didn't shriek.

He'd taken his first bound when he heard his jutsu release and the surprised noises of the pursuers. Immediately after, he heard their quick, light footsteps to the roofs. The night should give him ample cover; he expected a bit of a lead before they caught on to him, but one must've had exceptional eyesight because their scents and footfalls came after him.

His options were either to continue along the rooftops or use the streets and buildings to his advantage. The rooftops would benefit his speed, since he could shoot straight to safety; but he had a passenger and he was in plain view, both of which devalued the benefit. The streets would slow him further, though he would have ample time to double-back, find a safe spot for Yukari, or wait out the pursuers.

Hm. Kiba could play cat-and-mouse, which was a better option than getting destroyed by three guys. His eyes picked up the dark void of two buildings split to accommodate an alley, and he leapt to close the distance, mind on the girl who rode on his back.

What about her? He couldn't just…dump her somewhere and leave her while he fought. Down he dropped, from balcony to balcony. Couldn't hide her without her probably doing something stupid and getting herself hurt.

Someone had to guard her, and he couldn't outrun his enemies long enough to get to Naruto's apartment. Shino and Hinata were on the other side of town, too. He bounded off the lowest balcony and landed on the sidewalk. Where could he go?

As he dodged into the recesses of a building, he recognized the street and realized he was a block away from the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. An idea flicked into his mind.

Oh-ho, _that_ was a bad idea. A _very _bad idea.

"Kiba? Why are we stopping?" Her voice sounded like a cowering mouse. "Won't they…catch up?"

He waited before answering.

Possibly. Possibly, he could deposit Yukari into the flower shop. Someone would be attending it (Ino? God, he hoped so) and would safeguard her while he was taking care of business. Bu-ut…would that constitute as an infraction? Would Mrs. Bitch count his visit as _a _visit?

Everything inside him said, 'Uh, yeah, yer a dumbass. Don't do it!' A teeny, tiny, itty-bitty part asked him: What other option do you have?

Try to outrun three shinobi who didn't have another human being on their backs? Set Yukari in a dark corner somewhere and tell her to stay? Pffft. Yeah, like that'd ever happen.

In his brief moment of thought, the cell had gained on him _considerably_. This was no time to stand around with his thumb up his ass.

"Yukari," he whispered as he started running, "I'm gonna drop you off somewhere safe. You gotta stay there, okay?"

"Wh-where are you taking me?" she asked, grip tightening around his neck. "Don't leave me!"

Kiba rounded the corner and put forth a burst of speed. The lights shone through the glass display, slanting onto the sidewalk; he hadn't considered whether someone would be there or not. The smell of fresh-cut flowers hung lightly on the air…and the three sweaty ninjas, breathing hard, trailing behind.

"You've been here before. This is as safe as it gets," he reassured Yukari.

The door banged open with a wild jangle, his strength half from excitement, half from adrenaline. No one was manning the counter. The shop's flowers masked the scent of the Yamanaka working, but he was sure it was Ino. She would definitely help, no questions asked.

Kiba let Yukari climb off his back, and as he guided her through the shop, thinking of Ino, the backdoor behind the counter opened.

"Hello?" Yukari called. "We need your-mmphf!"

Kiba clamped a hand over her mouth when he saw who was there. Dammit. How had he been so wrong?

"Welcome to Yamanaka Flower Shoppe." Inoichi stopped when he saw them, a curious smile to his mouth. "Kiba. Miss Nakamura."

Kiba blinked, hand falling limply, having already built it up in his head that Ino would be working tonight. Since he'd expected someone else, he hadn't thought of an alternate excuse to be there with Yukari. Inoichi swept around the countertop and when he stood square in front of Kiba, his eyes looked intense; darkened, deeper, wiser.

"What do you need?" he asked.

The question seemed…knowing. Too aligned with Kiba's thoughts. Inoichi was doing it again. Whatever he did before, he was doing it _now_. But different. So differently than before. Kiba could feel something strange inside his brain, a feeling like being plugged in to something? But was this mind jutsu or a sudden onset of nerves from facing Inoichi, the father of the girl he had slept with?

He didn't know and shifted uncomfortably, and beside him, Yukari glanced back and forth between them. She squeezed his fingers; he hadn't even noticed her hand in his.

"What do you need?" Inoichi asked again. "You don't have to worry."

The gentle prompt broke Kiba's tongue loose from the roof of his mouth. "Can you…can you keep an eye on Yukari?" Nerves had dampened his palms. "She isn't feeling well, and I…uh, I have an emergency. Do you mind?"

"Not at all. Wait here," he told Kiba.

Then Inoichi lifted a hand, and, using the same hand she'd held Kiba's with, Yukari took it. She looked curious and mildly surprised as Inoichi continued talking, guiding her through the aisle.

"Come right back. There's a couch in my office where you can lie down. I have some hot tea- -" They went through the door behind the counter.

Kiba could hear what Inoichi said and Yukari's replying murmurs, but didn't pay attention to them. Anxious, feeling out of place, he roamed around and inspected the items in the flower shop, trying to pinpoint when he'd felt this strange connection before. He knew it'd happened, the memory on the tip of his tongue.

Ah, he couldn't remember. Flower bobble-heads stood in a neat row. The bases were pots, the stems were green, and the 'heads' were smiling daisies, roses, and tulips. He set a few of them bobbling, as he tried to decide where on the spectrum he should adjust his attitude toward Inoichi. Pissed at him for using what Kiba thought to be mind jutsu or…not. Was this the time to address issues he had with Inoichi?

The shinobi in him said to worry about Inoichi later. Yeah, anger seemed the best route, but why waste all that energy when there loomed a larger, three-person problem? Use that anger to kick some ass and get some answers from the cell that circled liked vultures outside the flower shop doors. If only he had weapons and camouflage…he'd be good to go.

Inoichi came back into the front of the store. "She's all settled in."

"That's good."

"Yes." He studied Kiba a moment. "I have something for you."

What could Inoichi possibly have for him? Unless he was hiding Ino somewhere…

Inoichi waved Kiba over to the side of the flower shop, where he opened a door to reveal a broom and supply closet. Several shelves lined the walls, items neatly organized and positioned just so. Inoichi stretched up to slide a box off the top shelf.

"Here. You'll need this."

Hesitantly, Kiba accepted the heavy box and set it on the counter to open it. Inside, as neatly folded and arranged as the broom closet, were a Konoha flak jacket, a fully-loaded belt and hip pouch, and a kunai holster. The items themselves didn't hold much meaning, but the scent that had hit him in the face…it smelled like home. Like _him_ and his mother; a scent that hadn't been fresh in years.

He didn't understand. How had Inoichi gotten hold of a box-full of his father's gear?

"I'll tell you the long, long story another time," Inoichi said. "I think that you've got an emergency to attend to."

Silently, Kiba lined the items up on the counter and discovered a net shirt at the bottom of the box. At least he wouldn't ruin a nice dress shirt. While he changed and buckled up, Inoichi was at the front, releasing the blinds to cover the front display windows.

"Those boys are anxious for a piece of you," Inoichi said. "Two out front, and one out back. Will you be able to manage three to one?"

"I'll separate them out and take them down one by one."

Inoichi gave him a sharp look. "Watch your swagger. They may be more talented than you think. And you don't know their intentions."

"They're not chunin, that's for sure. I heard 'em breathin' and movin' around. Besides, if someone wanted me dead, I'd be dead."

While they spoke, they had walked together through the door into the back and crossed the floor to the backdoor of the store. He saw a dim light on in Inoichi's office, and he assumed Yukari had curled up on the couch. The mean streak inside him wanted to forget her for the night and let someone else deal with her. Maybe Inoichi would be so kind?

Kiba glanced at Inoichi. "Should I…come back?" Sounded too hopeful.

"If you don't want a furious woman on your hands, I suggest that you do."

"You mean, if _you _don't want a furious woman on your hands."

Inoichi smirked. "Hn. True. But either way, _you'd_ _still_ have a furious woman to deal with. And maybe, then, not just you."

Kiba got his meaning. Mrs. Bitch would retaliate if she felt that he'd mistreated Yukari in anyway. She wouldn't stand for him leaving Yukari in a flower shop all night, and facing the door, knew that he couldn't stall forever. Standing with Inoichi felt weird, anyway.

He shrugged. "So-o…I'll…be going."

"You look the spitting image of your father." Then before Kiba could question further, Inoichi swept past and twisted the doorknob. "Go get 'em, kid."

"Thanks," he managed, as Inochi flung open the door.

Kiba exploded into the night like hell. One stepped right in his flight path, a silver glint in hand; the predator in Kiba ached to smell fresh blood, but another glint caught his eye. A Leaf hitai-ate. No killing until their alignment could be confirmed, so he flicked up a kunai, deflected the swipe. His momentum and a shoulder helped him to plow through the shinobi. Felt like diving through rice paper- -too easy. A thud as the smaller body hit the pavement. Skidding.

Something was wrong. He shouldn't have been able to knock aside a trained soldier like that. Was it a transformation jutsu? Or a shadow clone? Though darkness hid the shinobi partially, Kiba's enhanced vision saw every physical detail, his hearing monitored breathing, and his nose tracked the still-living scent of the human. Nothing happened, not even a groan or an attempt to rise.

Looked young, male, eleven or twelve years old. Dark hair. Some jumbled combination of clothing. He'd seen this kid before somewhere. It was the visor that sparked his memory, and his heart dropped into his stomach. This was one of the genins who'd delivered that letter from Mrs. Bitch!

The fuck were they doin' comin' after him like that? He could've _killed _them!

The two other scents were closing in. Righteously angry, Kiba didn't bother to hide himself. He wanted to face them in all his glorious fury and give them a beating they wouldn't soon forget.

Within a few more moments, the other two landed in front of him, a boy and girl. Their belligerence pissed off Kiba further. Of all the green-behind-the-ears stunts…jumping right in front of your enemy had to be the dumbest, and so far, it had happened _twice_.

Who the fuck was _teaching _these dumbasses?

A wide gesture. "Hey! What'd you do to Tohru?" shouted the boy.

The boy Kiba recognized as the loudmouth punk who'd called him an asshole a couple weeks ago. The girl kept glancing to Tohru as though she wanted to run to him, but she must've known that if she tried, Kiba'd attack her as well. Their scents were sharp with fear. Good.

"He got what he had comin' to 'im."

"Get away from him!"

"No."

"Do it or I'll…I'll…" the boy searched for an adequate threat.

When he couldn't find one, he sprang forward, but Kiba stuck out a hand. It was like the kid hit a wall; he bounced back and landed on his ass. The girl crouched, putting her hands on his shoulders instead of standing by to defend her comrade. So stupid.

"You snot-nosed little moron." Kiba stepped forward, growls ripe in his throat. "What didja think you'd accomplish? Yer _stupid!_"

The girl cowered back. "Shi, he's scary." But the boy gritted his teeth and pulled a kunai.

"We're _not _stupid, asshole! Stay back."

Kiba took another step. "Or what?" He twirled the kunai around his finger.

Shi got to his feet, but when the girl tried tugging him back, he shook her off. "Or I'll kill you."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna tear off your head!"

"Hmph. Let's see you try, punk."

The dig worked. Shi leapt, face contorted with anger. Kiba slid back a step, grabbed the kid's wrist and flung him in a wide arch overhead. Shi slammed flat on his back with a loud _oompf!_

A second of stillness, then Kiba heard the girl jump at him. He strafed. She tripped over Shi and, on her chest, slid over the pavement. In the moment Kiba took to dodge the girl, Shi had gained his feet and attacked again. Afterwards, they both tried all sorts of maneuvers, which he repelled with ease.

Partially toying with them, he used defensive strategies to evaluate their teamwork, skill level, and strategy. As angry as he was, they were too pathetic to keep his anger alive. Shi relied on classic textbook moves. The girl was useless, except to be a distraction.

Tohru's scent indicated he was awake, but playing possum. Probably had set up a trap. And when Kiba sidestepped another one of Shi's overly dramatic, waste-of-energy attacks, Tohru made his move, revealing to Kiba the nature of the trap.

Before they could come together as a team, Kiba threw a smoke bomb. They didn't scatter like they should have, so he had an easy time of landing three accurate, heavy punches and knocking out the team. When the smoke cleared, he'd barely broken a sweat and found Inoichi standing outside the back door with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Bravo," he told Kiba from across the lane. "I couldn't have tested them better myself."

Hunh? "What're you talkin' about?"

"I want you to meet my genin team."

"These kids…are _yours_?" Kiba gawked. "They suck!"

Inoichi laughed and walked over to inspect the fallen youngsters. "They've only just graduated. Hn," he grunted, leaning over, "looks like you gave them something to remember you by."

"So it wasn't Mrs. Nakamura who sent them? It was _you_?" His quieted anger rose. "If you gotta problem, why don't you take it up with me?"

Inoichi looked up, still smiling secretly. "They came after you on their own."

"No one sent them?"

"No one sent them."

"I…don't get this." Kiba scratched his head. "I chased them off once, but why should they want to get revenge for that?"

"It's not that. Shi is Yukari's little brother."

* * *

**A/N: **Next up, _Saying the Words._


	20. Saying the Words

**A/N: **Welcome back, dear readers!

* * *

**Chapter XX: Saying the Words**

Aching. Burning.

Ino's skin gleamed with sweat, dripping along the contours of her neck and alongside her breasts. She bit her lip as Kiba pressed his fingers into the flesh of her hips, bringing her down, tight and hot, on him. The sharp pleasure knifed through his stomach, up his chest. A grunt. He breathed in, buried his face into her hair and rolled her hips up again; she groaned as she leaned forward. Nails dragged up his spine. Her hips rocked without his guidance…and didn't stop. Before his brain could recover, it was focusing on the mercurial heat rising, up, up, up until…

…the image distorted and Ino slipped through light to darkness.

The hell?

Kiba opened his eyes. Morning sunlight. And based on the hurtful stiffy in his boxers, he without a doubt knew he was in need of self-maintenance. Worse, this wasn't the first sex-dream he'd had and, worst, was that he seemed to always wake up before the grand finale. To be perfectly honest, he'd rather have a little more laundry to do than to have to fix his own stupid problem.

_You were making enough noise to wake the dead_, Akamaru commented. _More Ino-dreams?_

"Yeah…"

_Aww…don't be embarrassed. It's perfectly natural._

"Yeah, yeah. Lemme alone, you damn dog."

_Well, if you'd have noticed Ino's interest earlier, you'd be in bed with her now._

Kiba shot Akamaru a glare. This was not something he wanted to get into this early in the damn morning.

"So you keep reminding me."

_Happy to help. Now scratch behind my ears, please._

Chagrinned, Kiba reached out and used his nails to scratch Akamaru's itchy ears. At that moment, Naruto chose to burst in, banging the front door against the wall.

"_Kiba!_ _Akamaru!_ The Hokage needs to see you a-sap!"

"Awright, we're gettin' around!" Kiba swam through his pile of blankets. He'd lost the morning wood anyway, but a vague tension headache bumped at the base of his skull. He felt irritable. "What time?"

"Fifteen minutes ago!"

Wait… "_What?_"

"Yeah, she said to get you there immediately, but I was hungry," Naruto came closer and stopped with his toes touching Kiba's nest, "so I stopped for a quick bowl of ramen. Sorry, man."

Cursing, Kiba flicked off the covers and reached for his pants. Already this day was turning into a hell of a mess.

The sun burned down on Kiba's head and shoulders as he rode Akamaru toward the Hokage's Office. The emptiness yawned in his stomach since he hadn't even had time for breakfast, and he knew he probably looked harried. He _felt _harried.

_What do you suppose the Hokage wants?_ Akamaru grunted over his shoulder. _It's gotta be something important for her to call you in_.

This meeting, the morning following the night he discovered that Yukari had a brother who was a genin, and most surprising, that he was under Inoichi's tutelage, seemed pretty convenient.

"Hm. She probably wants to hear all the information first-hand."

_You think Ino's working?_

Hearing her name conjured a ripe image that caused his heart to wobble. "I…don't know."

_Heh. You _want _her to be working, _Akamaru amended, leaping from the roof of a low building to the front doors of the Hokage's Office. _Just like you _want _to be sleeping with her_.

"You have me all figured out, don'tcha, stupid mutt."

Akamaru wheezed in laughter, as Kiba hopped off to walk into the crisp building on his own two feet. Security was generally minimal; rather, the security that could be seen. His nose found layers and layers of fresh scent, and hotspots of calm, deadly intent that lifted the hairs on the back of his neck. One scent quickened his pulse before it even registered.

Ino was there.

_Guess all your hopes are coming true._

Oh, God. The ache, the animal lust, struck a fire inside him and muscles tightened. All evidence (the daydream at the restaurant, heading toward the flower shop, his visions of her) pointed toward it, and he couldn't deny it- -he _needed_ to see Ino. A shiver worked its way up his spine just with the _anticipation_ of seeing her.

He and Akamaru strode up the staircase that led to the level of the Hokage's actual workspace. The silence was respectful, since they both followed Ino's movements based on her scent among all the others cluttering the air in this building. To his surprise, nearest in proximity to Lady Tsunade were Hinata and Shino.

_Seems like this'll be more than just informational, Kiba._

"A mission?" He hesitated outside the entrance to the level, wiping a sweaty hand on his pants. Even his breathing turned ragged. Why was he so nervous? "Do you think…do you think Ino'll be involved?"

_Probably not. Don't worry, _Akamaru said beside him. _I'm with you._

Kiba swallowed and pushed open the door. His eyes took in the wide-open space where the Hokage's seconds-in-command worked diligently. Over the shuffle of paper, over the bobbing heads of working shinobi, all the way at the far side of the office, he saw her.

The white-blonde bangs covering half her face, blue eyes, the usual purple outfit showing off the stripe of firm, slim belly, and the ridiculously shorter skirt peeking between the purple. Like a ghost of experience, his hands burned from running up her thighs to her lush hips…

_Get a grip, loverboy, _Akamaru snorted, _and let's see what the Hokage wants._

"Shut _up_, I know." His throat had filled with his skittering heart. "We're going."

Akamaru snorted and made the first move towards Ino. Each step felt like stepping on air. When he stopped in front of her, he realized he didn't have anything to say, but he had plenty he wanted to _do_. The imagery of her shiny skin burned reckless lust through him; his hands clenched before he did something stupid. Like touch her.

"Hi," she said, and offered him a smile.

She was so beautiful. "Hey."

"The Hokage said to show you in as soon as you arrived."

"Oh. Okay." Kiba looked at her, close to trembling he wanted her so bad. "I'm ready."

"Good. Follow me, please."

Ino shifted, putting a hand on the heavy-looking door. No, no, no; he should toss her over his shoulder and run away; he should lead her to the nearest broom closet; he should kiss her now, possessively. Ideas that were stupid, but he wanted to do all of them.

Then she pushed, her muscles straining, and held the door for him. As he passed through, he felt her hand flick out and press something into his palm. Instinctively his fingers closed around the object, and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

It had felt like folded paper, but he dared not take it out to inspect it, choosing, instead, to acknowledge Hinata, Shino, and Lady Tsunade, who sat behind her desk, looking annoyed. At least whatever conversation they had within these walls was strictly confidential; Roach didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of overhearing anything in this office. As best he could, Kiba shut off the internal tracking-system that persisted to monitor Ino's movements. The ache in his muscles that begged for release.

"Kiba, good of you to show up," Lady Tsunade said, and he couldn't tell whether her tone was welcoming or sarcastic. "Fall in."

Silently, he and Akamaru moved to the center of the office in front of her desk and took their places on other side of Shino. Hinata's eyes had followed him meekly; Shino stood like a living statue.

"Let me begin by stating the situation." Lady Tsunade shuffled a few papers and glanced at one. "Kiba, you've been picked out by one Nakamura Yukari as husband-material. She at first tried to catch you through the use of 'A Right to Claim' but was unsuccessful. Is this correct?"

"Yes'm."

"Yukari has a younger brother, Shi. As I planned, Shi is a genin under the mastery of Yamanaka Inoichi. Our problem lies in Shi's and Yukari's household, but not with them.

"Roach, who's in the Bingo Book, works with Yukari's mother, Nakamura Jun. Nakamura Jun has threatened to release Roach on Konoha shinobi should you choose not to comply with her demands regarding her daughter. Is this correct?"

"Yes'm."

"Good. This presents a very unique opportunity," Lady Tsunade said, resting her head on her fingertips. "Do you know what that opportunity is?"

Kiba exchanged a glance with Akamaru before answering. "I suppose it's because I have access to the Nakamura manor."

"You would be correct. A cursory background check on Nakamura shows that she is receiving shipments of a benign ingredient from an outside source. This ingredient is as harmless as aspirin, but necessary to concoct a certain type of drug.

"That drug has the capacity to debilitate the strongest shinobi, and as much as I've studied it," her scent, having been even, spiked with irritability, "I've yet to produce a suitable, fast-acting cure. There has been a slew of 'A Right to Claim' marriages in all five hidden villages and more disturbing, evidence of this drug being used. We feel that Nakamura works with the drug, but we've yet to discover the necessary evidence for a reasonable conclusion. Everything's circumstantial."

She paused to gaze in turn at him, Shino, and Hinata. "Since the Akatsuki has been excessively active, much of Nakamura's activities have been unmonitored. That leaves you three to conduct an investigation of Nakamura. Roach believes he has entered Konoha without raising any suspicions, but he is not your concern.

"His presence is necessary to allow Nakamura to feel safe enough to continue her work. You will exploit that feeling of safety and the access to her daughter to uncover her operations…and shut them down, permanently."

Her words sunk in, and Kiba hardened his resolve to protect the village, those he loved and those he didn't know, the soldiers he fought shoulder-to-shoulder with, and those who faced death each day to protect _him_. No guilt would take root in him, no pain over being plucked from the vine by Yukari. Failure was _not _an option.

"Your mission is strictly off the books. Do you know what that means?"

Shino responded. "All of our investigation will be conducted from within the shadows."

"Correct. You will report your findings to me, directly, and you are not to speak of this mission to anyone unless otherwise ordered by myself. Understood?"

Team 8 gave their affirmation.

"Shino and Hinata, you are dismissed. I need to speak with Kiba privately."

Hinata glanced over at him, eyes crinkled with concern. She looked like she wanted to say something, but her gaze shifted away. Wordlessly, she trailed behind Shino and exited the office. The door swung closed, leaving Kiba and Akamaru alone with Lady Tsunade. Nerves flipped his stomach around. Why did she want to see him without his teammates?

She waited a minute or two before standing and walking around to lean, with her arms crossed, against the front edge of the desk. She stood quietly a long time, and Kiba recognized the look of appraisal. Worry. Determination.

The silence wracked his nerves. "I'm okay for this mission, Lady Hokage."

"Hm. I'm not so sure." She tapped her chin. He balked, but she cut him off. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"Enough, ma'am."

"Eating right?"

"Yes'm."

"Drinking water?"

"Yes'm."

"I know you're living with Naruto. What's going on at home?"

Her switch in subject startled him and before he could check it, he showed his reaction. Her eyes stayed on him, no doubt monitoring his heartbeat and respiration, which had quickened from his surprise. Lie, he told himself, lie yer teeth out. But was this a test to see how honest he was? Did she know more than she was letting on? He couldn't tell. Her scent remained neutral, save for that earlier spike of annoyance. No doubt she used chakra to control her scent. Kiba had no clue what to expect.

"Whatever you tell me, I'll keep in confidence," she said, her tone motherly. "You know that."

The guilt prompted him, so he chose truthfulness. "Me'n'Mom got into a fight. She went sorta crazy, so I left."

"What was the fight about?"

Dad. Ino. Yukari. Family codes. Clan honor. More guilt put a tangle in the middle of his chest. He really didn't want to get into it, but if he kept his mouth shut, would she dismiss him from the mission? Could he tell the Hokage to mind her own damn business? But, really, there was no choice in this if he wanted to be a part of taking down Nakamura.

He lowered his gaze to his toes, unable to keep eye contact. "Cheating, ma'am."

"Cheating? On Yukari?"

"Yes'm."

"Hm. With who?"

_Tell 'er it's personal, _Akamaru interjected with a low growl. _She's nosin' in your business_.

"Akamaru- -"

"What's wrong? You can tell me."

Kiba hesitated and looked at her. She seemed open and genuinely caring, but this information was _so_ private. "Nothin's wrong."

He glanced at Akamaru, who gazed back; his companion, always loyal. Don't say anything, Akamaru'd said. Kiba wished he could, but he couldn't. She'd just find out from his mother and this was embarrassing enough now. In a half gesture, he lifted his hand, but then remembered he hadn't worn the leather jacket, which kept safe Ino's earrings.

"So?" she asked.

Kiba swallowed hard. "Yamanaka Ino, ma'am."

Embarrassment burned his ears and cheeks, and the folded paper (if it was that) poked his thigh through the cloth in his pocket. He stuck a finger in the corner of his pocket and toyed with its pointy ends. The need to kiss her raked him.

"Ino." A slow smile touched her lips. "I'd wondered. How advanced is the relationship?"

Akamaru growled. _Personal,_ he repeated. _Don't answer. She doesn't need to know._

The air in the office seemed too heavy, too close. Sweat dripped down his back; he felt smothered in here. "Ma'am?"- -a pitiful excuse for stalling.

She didn't even change her tone. "I mean is the relationship sexual?"

Kiba stared at her in disbelief. Inexplicably, the question stung. Made him feel defensive, like he had to protect Ino. He didn't want her judging Ino, or him, for that matter; or talking to his mother. Or Inoichi. No, definitely not Inoichi, even though Tsunade had told him everything was in confidence. What did that mean to the Hokage?

Akamaru was right- -he didn't have to answer. But this was the _Hokage_. He feared her reaction. She could easily overpower him; go around him; order him to tell her. She could order Inoichi to scan through his thoughts, his _memories_. The very idea crawled over his skin. Was there any way to disappear from this conversation?

_She has to respect your privacy,_ Akamaru said._ You can tell her 'no'._

"Inuzuka. Answer the question."

"I don't…want to."

"Don't make me order you as a soldier. Is the relationship sexual?"

She'd won. The embarrassment and humiliation were unbearable. "Yes'm."

"Okay. I'm going to cut to the chase. Are you in love with her?"

The question whipped the breath out of him. His mind went totally blank, but his blood throbbed. It throbbed with the need he had for her- -the want. He was attracted to her, yeah- -god_damn_, he was attracted to her- -but in love?

What was it to be in love? To love?

Unless. _Unless_ the huge expansion he always felt inside his chest when they kissed or when he saw her meant love. Unless the thinking about her all the time meant love. Having to bring her closer or smell her or else he'd lose his mind. Keeping her earrings in his pocket. The fantasies and daydreams and…oh. Oh, damn, when had it happened? When had he fallen in love with Ino?

For the first time in his life, Kiba played it safe. "I can't answer the question, Lady Hokage." He shrugged. "I don't know."

Her eyes narrowed, but she seemed to accept that lie. "Let me give you a piece of advice, Kiba. Keep your distance from Ino for now. You'll only hurt yourself if you end up, shall we say, _sacrificing_ for the mission."

A beat passed as Kiba digested what 'sacrificing' meant in this context. "What? Like sex with Yukari?"

"Yes, like sex with Yukari." She continued through his stunned silence. "You never know from what angle you'll have to approach the target."

"Look, Lady Hokage…"

She interrupted him. "I know. You'll do what it takes to ensure the success of the mission. What I'm telling _you_ is that success isn't success when the toll on the soldier is too great."

Her steady gaze told him she was on his side; she knew what was in store for him if he 'sacrificed' like that. His arrogant, cocky side rolled his eyes: no way was he jumping in the sack with a girl he didn't even _like_. And with Ino working just on the other side of the door, he was ready to wrap up this meeting so he could see her, if briefly.

"Is there anything else, Lady Hokage?"

"No, we're done here. And Kiba?" He glanced over his shoulder at her, as she set a leaf of papers on her desk. "Be careful."

"I always am."

He and Akamaru passed through the heavy door, and when it closed, Kiba slumped against it, giddy from relief. Okay, so he had a mission. Not a problem. Having other people know what was going made experiencing it all the more easier.

Akamaru licked Kiba's hand. _That was pretty intense. You okay?_

"Yeah. I think so."

_So…then…open the damn note from Ino!_ Akamaru bumped Kiba with his head. _I've been dying to know what she wrote_.

His suspicions had been correct; she'd passed him a folded square of paper, small, so as not to arouse attention. Kiba's body went all hot upon reading the three words, in Ino's neat script, on the paper: _Come find me_.

"Let's go," he said to Akamaru, shoving the paper into his pocket.

_You betcha._

They hurried to the stairwell, doors slam-banging behind them, following the trail of Ino's scent. It went upstairs, fairly fresh, and Kiba took the stairs three at a time. His blood hummed through him. All he could think about was Ino, her spill of blonde hair flashed in front of his eyes, her naked body arching towards him. She was all he could smell. The fierce burst of lust, like a predator snapping at prey, focused him on hunting her.

_This floor_, Akamaru said, nodding to the door. _Left_.

Already knowing, Kiba bowled through the doors into a hallway. They'd gone from an office building motif to what looked like a hotel. In a blur of white, Akamaru dashed ahead and rounded a corner. Kiba followed, hot on his heels. The hallways wound like a maze; mirrors, wooden stands with flowers, decorated doors, and paintings flew by. Without even trying, Kiba felt how close Ino was, and when Akamaru skidded to a stop and sniffed at a particular door, they both knew.

He took a moment to compose himself and to tame the amped animal clawing inside, salivating at her scent. His chest felt constricted, his heartbeat jumbled; his legs rubbery. Nerves. Anticipation. He put his hand on the doorknob, but the door swung in before he could grip the knob.

Ino stopped short, her eyes like diamond lakes.

"Akamaru, patrol the hallway," Kiba heard himself say, voice already husky, then he stepped into the bathroom and shut the door, locking it. "Ino."

"I was worried…"

She trailed off when Kiba framed her face with his hands and laid a soft kiss on her lips contrary to the fierce pressure to penetrate her in every sense.

"I know."

He understood she thought that he'd been unavoidably detained; that he wouldn't be coming to find her. She had been ready to leave, would have, had he not shown up when he did. Keen disappointment was receding from his presence, his touch.

His lips pressed harder, ravenous. More. He was _in love_ with her and there was no stopping it from expanding into every molecule of him. Her tongue met his willingly- -she went boneless in his arms, her body curving into him. The heat crackled between them and any anxiety or embarrassment left over from Lady Tsunade's probing disintegrated.

All that existed was his desire to stay skin-close to her.

There were no more words he could say. His arousal had been at a slow burn since…well, since last time he'd seen her. Being surrounded by her liquid scent, her body already anticipating him, jarred him into high gear.

Control slipped away.

Shifting around, Kiba pushed Ino flush against the door. Her cheeks stained pink as he shoved his hands under her skirt, fingers hooking her panties and dragging them over her slender thighs and knees. He stood, Ino unfastening his pants, and he helped her with his boxers. He almost felt like a damn Jack-in-a-Box with the sudden way his boner popped out.

Not willing to wait any longer, he stepped into Ino, bumping her into the door. She gasped when he grabbed under her thighs and hoisted her up. Somehow, he pinned her to the door, and her arms clutched him around his shoulders. Those strong legs spread and wrapped around him (God help him, her arousal-smell blew his mind) but not before she reached between them and guided him into her hot recesses.

"Damn-!"

"Ah, oh!"

Feeling her without a condom was a hundred times more intense than he could have imagined. But maybe it was because he hadn't had sex in a while, and he'd been buzzing with hormones. She arched her back, impatient; he gasped. Ah, the friction…her natural, heated lubricant…he wasn't lasting long under these conditions. Already his muscles twitched, little bursts of fireworks under his skin.

"Kiba," she murmured, kissing his ear, sending him into a tail-spin, "oh, Kiba _yes_."

He breathed heavily in her neck. Flicked his tongue out to lick her salt and her vanilla-lemon. An urge to rip off her shirt, but he couldn't, not without letting her go. They were so close together that fucking her was only a matter of grinding his hips into hers, deeper into the heated sheath at her center.

She whimpered- -the sound twanging his heart strings- -and he set his teeth into the side of her neck, gently. Tightening in his guts. Muscles straining. Pleasure surged fire through him and burned down somewhere deep.

Her name growled into her neck. Dammit, she felt too good. Their unity told him she teetered on the edge. Kiba worked his hips; she moaned from her throat, her head and back thudding on the door.

Precious moments passed as he reveled being connected to her like this. The love emotion carried him into Ino, almost visible, like tendrils of light from him to her. He could feel them growing stronger; he could _feel_ her emotion inside of him. And even if there wasn't that knowing there, he could taste the rise of her climax.

Ino suddenly cried out, her fingers digging into his shoulders. An abrupt twist in his gut; those cries pushed him closer to climax, but he forced himself back, but _fuck_, not for long, ah, dammit, and when her body clenched around his, Kiba went mindless and rutted her as hard as he could, gripping her thighs, completely consumed by the release orgasm gave him, until all that remained was their panting and sweat and caresses. He felt like himself again. Like a valve had released everything that was messing with him.

"Um," Ino finally said, "that was really good."

"That's all? A 'really good'? Are you kiddin' me?"

Ino tried to deadpan a response, but Kiba tickled her stomach and she laughed, pushing his hands away. Hm. Perfect. Her scent was an afterglow of contentment, mixed with his scent. Got him thinking she should smell like this all the time.

"You're a pain!" she told him, poking him in the chest. Then her look softened and she ran her hand up and down his chest. "And just so you know, I love the look of this flak jacket on you."

"You like it, hunh?" he answered, fastening up his pants. He leaned over to help her into her panties so she wouldn't trip. "Am I one sexy sonavabitch?"

Ino laughed again, stepping into the underwear. "Yeah. But I've always _known_ you were a sonavabitch."

"Heh." He watched as she adjusted her clothing and smoothed her hair. His heart shifted like earth inside him. "Ino. Ino, I have something to tell you."

She looked up, blue eyes sparkling, and smiled. "What's that, Kibbers?"

"I love you." It had come off his tongue so easily, he thought maybe he hadn't said it at all. He tried again. "I love you."

Yep, he'd definitely said it; now, a sort of euphoria lifted him up. Ino eyes brimmed with tears and unfathomable emotion, and she flung her arms around him. In the kiss, they shared everything. Nothing remained between them.

_Hey, guys, are you through yet?_ Akamaru's muted voice through the door. _I'm bored out here_.

"Yeah, we're coming," Kiba said, clutching Ino closer to his heart. "I don't want to leave."

She nodded and squeezed tighter. Short moments slid by. He felt her snuffle, and then like they'd counted together silently, they released each other. Ino wiped her eyes and laughed.

"You make me so emotional."

"I know the feeling."

_Guys! C'mon! Let's go already!_

"Yeah, yeah! Hold yer damn horses," Kiba said to the door. To Ino, "Sorry. My stupid dog's being a whiny bitch."

_I heard that_.

Ino giggled. "He's right, though. I gotta get back to work, and I'm sure that you have some things to discuss with your team."

He nodded, took one last look at her, and opened the door. Akamaru shot him a seriously annoyed look before bumping into him for petting. Kiba scratched behind the floppy ears. A strange thing occurred then. He noticed Ino watching him, and he _knew, felt_, it was permission she waited for. When he nodded at her, only then did she stroke Akamaru's back. That submission, that respect, she showed was more complete than even her parents or her comrades had. Only _he_ had it.

After a few minutes, Ino touched his hand. A look transpired. She was leaving. They kissed; once again; once more; before she broke away, and with what looked like discomfort and determination, strode away.

_You picked a good one, partner._

"It hurts to see her leave," Kiba replied, rubbing his chest where his heart ached. "I wanna run after as fast as I can."

_That's being in love, _Akamaru surmised. _But you and she'll both be okay. C'mon. Hinata and Shino have been hanging around the front of the building for some time._

Kiba allowed Akamaru to take the lead, winding down the stairs, and leaving the building, his mind clicked into neutral. Shino and Hinata had waited for them. Hinata waved in greeting and reached to pat Akamaru when he neared.

Shino shifted his head, sunlight reflecting off the sunglasses. "Kiba, come with us. We have much to discuss."

After a few minutes, Akamaru interrupted their silence. _Hey. Did she call you Kibbers_?"

"Yeah. And shut up."

_I didn't say anything. _A few quiet steps, then, _It's kinda cute._

"Pfft. 's _not _'cute'."

Akamaru laughed at him as they walked the street, drawing curious looks from Hinata and Shino.

**- -N- -**

Later that week, per Shino's direction, Kiba arrived at the Nakamura manor; unfortunately, Akamaru had to sit this one out. Having him there would be suspicious, and besides, Kiba could manage this with his eyes closed and his hands tied. So Akamaru was hanging out with Hinata and Shino for Kiba to finish his mission.

After buzzing, getting let in, the servant Kin answered the door. Kin guided Kiba to a sitting room, towards the back of the place, where Miss Nakamaru would be arriving shortly.

Kiba took a position near the window and considered where to start looking. His team had gotten the blueprints of the Nakamura manor, so Kiba's task was to sniff around for hints of the product. Once found, the last step of their mission would be compiling evidence against Mrs. Bitch and arresting her for conspiracy. How Shino'd planned it seemed so simple, a cakewalk.

His nose, sharp as usual, picked up Yukari's approach. Her scent snapped his attention…something was…different. No lilacs. And he found without that lilac stink, she smelled like cotton. Clean and…homey, and not what he expected at all. He supposed that was stupid, since all she ever wore were those cotton dresses. But not only that. Her heart rate was up, and she was perspiring. Hormones through the roof. Then there was something masculine, a familiar scent, close to…hm. Weird. Close to _Kin_.

Yukari walked into the room; he'd anticipated her, so her eyes widened in surprise as she stepped into Kiba's full line of sight. Even without her rosy cheeks, the gleam on her forehead and chest, he could tell. Kiba clamped his teeth into this tongue to avoid laughing at the irony. He'd seen the same pink, smelled the same contentment in Ino after their sex. _Yukari_ was sleeping with someone and recently, by the fresh glow.

"Miss Yukari?" Another servant, male, who looked like a handsomer, younger version of Kin, had arrived. "You and Mr. Inuzuka can dine on the patio, if it pleases you."

Kiba glanced at Yukari- -she seemed a bit shy, maybe even flustered. Kiba didn't even need his nose to tell him (but it had already) that this was Yukari's chosen partner.

"Yes. That'd be delightful, Kai."

Kai ducked his head and left. Kiba smirked and held out his hand to Yukari. She took it, and he drew her near to kiss her forehead gently, playing the prince once more to avoid rousing Yukari's suspicions and more importantly, _Mrs. Bitch's_ suspicions if she was around. And perhaps _he _was no longer the suspicious one, now that Yukari seemed to have a lover in the wings.

The knowledge was leverage over Yukari, but on the other hand, she would endanger his mission if Mrs. Bitch caught Yukari and Kai en flagrante. Mrs. Bitch, Kiba knew, would not stand for her daughter to fraternize with a boy from a 'lowly' servant class. In short, the situation would get messy fast.

"Kiba," she whispered. "Kiba. I missed you."

He'd been busy to the extreme with training and planning with Shino and Hinata, and in his spare time, he had often been daydreaming about Ino, so he'd been spending precious little time with Yukari. He hadn't even thought about home. Guilt nibbled at his insides.

"Sorry about that," he murmured, scooping her into a hug.

She laughed, the sound muffled by his shoulder. "Don't worry! I know you're very busy. And you came at just the right time! Come on, let's get lunch."

He kept an arm loosely over her shoulders as they walked through the house to the back patio. A table had been set up, complete with linens and glassware. A small bouquet of flowers livened up the table- -immediately Kiba thought of Ino at the flower shop. He fought the vivid images, the most recent of her gazing at him, her eyes brimming with her love for him. His heart turned in his chest, sharply enough that he reached out to the table for support.

"Kiba! Are you okay? Kiba?"

Yukari's small hands put light pressure on his back. He nodded. "No…I'm just a little tired. Nothing's wrong."

Though he smiled, he could tell she wasn't wholly convinced, so he pulled her chair out for her and gestured her to sit. Then he regaled her with questions about what she'd been up to, how was her knitting, it looked like she got some sun, and anything else he could think to keep her mind from returning to him.

When Kai served out the drinks, Kiba couldn't help but lightly tease Yukari.

"Hey, he seems like a good guy. What's his name again?"

Yukari's color rose and she smoothed her hair nervously. "Kai. And yes, he's…very nice."

"He looks familiar…"

"Kin is his father," Yukari said. "They've been household staff for as long as I can remember. I grew up with Kai, really." She smiled softly. "Kai has always been a good friend."

"Has he?"

Her eyes were far away; her smile so tender. "Oh, _yes_. I remember one day I was playing and fell down. I scraped my knee badly. I cried and cried, and Kai comforted me."

Yukari's entire aura shifted- -he knew then, just as he had come to know he was in love with Ino- -that Yukari was in love with Kai. And he understood that. He understood her weakness. Her mother was formidable; to protect the one she truly loved from her own blood, Yukari had had no choice but to catch a shinobi.

It all fit together perfectly. His sense of honor renewed, fortifying and building his determination, and he promised to complete his current mission so that Yukari could be with the one she loved, and in turn, allow _him _to be with Ino, his own love.

The breeze freshened the warm air- -and Kiba could smell little Shi moving fast towards them, and based on the kid's scent, he was itching for a fight.

* * *

**A/N: **Next: _More Complications. _See you then!

_04/23/10: Minor edits_

_07/24/10: Minor-ish revisions and replaced incorrect hyphens with dashes = "- -"_


	21. More Complications

**A/N: **Oh, I'm SO sorry, you guys. Time got away from me. Thank you for waiting patiently while I was absent from the scene. Thanks also to PSI who continues to support me in times of panic. Please, enjoy! =)

* * *

**XXI: More Complications**

Shit. There was no way in hell that Kiba could fight Shi and accomplish his mission objectives: schmooze Yukari (didn't wanna, but had to); recon the area; pinpoint the location of the drug that had Lady Hokage's panties in a bunch.

Earlier, Tsunade had summoned Team 8 once more and had provided a sample of the drug. It had looked like a small piece of torn, wrinkled paper, black in color and had smelled like fermented mint- -almost alcoholic. Under cover of night, his team would further infiltrate the manor, uncovering Nakamura's operations and convicting her of treason. That would be seriously righteous.

Kiba _had_ wanted to work Yukari a little for information, but Shi's imminent arrival meant he'd have to wait to avoid any conflict that might delay his mission objectives. He needed an excuse to get outta there before Shi messed things up.

"Hey, where's the bathroom?" he asked Yukari.

Yukari smiled and told him directions to the nearest bathroom and thankfully, Shi was out of range. After entering the house, Kiba passed a few of the staff, who ignored him, and found an unlocked, unmonitored door that led into a quiet, empty room where he could concentrate on the scents of the house.

He set to work immediately, filtering through each scent, scanning for that unique fermented mint, but Shi's scent distracted him as it wound through the house. Kiba's ears pricked as he heard doors opening-closing, repeatedly. Dammit. Was Shi checking the house for him? If so, the kid was dangerously close to his location and a locked door wasn't gonna stop him.

Okay, time to move operations. Behind him were a couple windows. The one window he chose needed jimmying, but he got it and, after closing it behind him, used the rooftops for a quick escape. The house should occupy Shi long enough for him complete his reconnaissance.

Avoidance had consumed precious minutes, and he didn't have much time left until Yukari became suspicious or until someone else took an interest in his whereabouts; Shi had taken care of _that_ by going ape-shit around the house. Kiba settled again to concentrate. The servants. Perfume. Food. Potpourri. To pierce through those scents, he increased the chakra in his nose. Still, he couldn't find a match. Kiba stepped across the roof, keeping Shi monitored while at the same time concentrating on finding the drug should it be there.

A change in the murmur of the household staff caught his attention. They had gone quiet.

"…is he? I have to know, now!" That voice belonged to Shi.

Someone female responded, "I don't know. He passed through several minutes ago."

The breeze cooled sweat on Kiba's face, but he caught a faint, _faint _mint.

Shi said, "He's either not in the house…or he's avoiding me!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shi. I don't know."

By a miracle, Kiba had stepped downwind of the drug; he followed his nose to the far edge of the manor's roof. On the other side of the house was what looked like an old-fashioned storm cellar nestled among neatly clipped hedges, and from what Kiba could remember of the basement, there had been no doors like that leading to the outside. From the basement (and consequently the cells) had been one entrance and exit: the door to the rest of the house.

"He's here _somewhere._ If he's not in the house, where else could he be?"

Then Kiba heard Yukari's lover, Kai, speak up. "Maybe he took some air outside."

"_The roof_!"

Kiba could afford a few seconds, since he noticed some silver on the doors that gleamed in the sun. Shino would kill him. _Murder _him for being stupid.

But he couldn't help being curious. He hopped down to examine the doors and the security system. An electronic number pad locked the door, something that couldn't easily be broken.

Some definite traces of Mrs. Nakamura's scent and some hints of others, but none that Kiba recognized. Fermented mint was almost overwhelming and even with the ground separating the scent, he could tell that there was a large supply a few dozen feet from these doors. A secret laboratory, he thought, is just under my feet.

Then a black cockroach scuttled across the door. Kiba froze, his heart beating hard. Another roach followed by another and another and another. He leapt back to cover in a copse of trees, unsure what the insects meant. Had he been discovered? Or was this another security measure?

Not wanting to press his luck- -and besides, Shi clumped on the roof ever closer- -Kiba returned to the porch via a route through the house, and found Yukari idly rattling the ice in her glass. She glanced up when he slid open the door. Lunch had been served.

"I was getting worried," she said. "Shi came but got restless and went looking for you."

"Oh. Sorry." Kiba had already thought of an excuse for his absence. "Some of the art looked interesting, so I was sorta checking it out."

Yukari eyes went cold. "My _mother _would be pleased to hear. She picked all the art for the house, didn't you know?"

"Uh, really? She's got good taste."

"I'm _sure_."

Yikes. The bitterness steeled her voice. Time to move on. Kiba cleared his throat. "So. What's for lunch?"

Some sorta curry, heavy on the spices, something that he was unfamiliar with. As he ate, Kiba felt a persistent scratch at the back of his throat, but he chalked it up to the spiciness and sipped more iced tea to soothe it.

"What did Shi say he wanted?" Kiba asked, more to break their mealtime silence than to know. "If it's important, I can catch him before I go."

Yukari wrung her hands. "He said something about a shinobi's duel and revenge? I don't know…he was pretty worked up. I tried to get him to stay, but he thought you were wandering around and went looking for you."

"I see." Maybe now was a good time to leave. Shi might bring up uncomfortable questions. "Thanks for lunch, Yukari. I gotta get going, so I'll see you later."

"Kiba? Remember we were talking about that festival? Do you think you could still come with us?"

Ah, shit. He vaguely recalled her saying something about it…today was Saturday, so, uh, it would've been…Tuesday night? when they'd gone on the double date with Shino and Masako. Yukari had mentioned some festival, and Kiba guessed that this would be what she'd been asking about.

"I'll have to clear it with the Hokage. I'm not sure if she's got me on the roster for any other missions, but I'll check and let you know. If we're going outside the village, though, Akamaru's coming with us."

Yukari nodded gravely. "Of course. Do you think your team would be required to come too?"

"I, ah, have no idea. Listen, I've got some errands to run before heading home. I'll check in with you tomorrow if I can get a straight answer from the Hokage, okay?"

"Yes. That sounds good."

He turned to leave. "Well, bye then."

"Wait! Kiba!"

He felt her hand grab the crook of his elbow, and he stopped, half-shifting to face her; a moment skipped, and then her soft lips were against his and reflexively, he kissed her back. As she lingered on his mouth, he had the time to think about the heat snaking through his veins, a reaction that felt so entirely familiar that he put a hand to Yukari's nape before he even realized he'd done it.

And panic set in when his mind registered the default response reserved for Ino, and Ino alone.

Ice and weird sickness spiked through him, but he surprised himself. He waited until Yukari pulled away first, before shooting her a half-cocked grin, and leaping to the rooftops. He sprinted, feet hammering on tile, loose gravel, stone. Had to get distance from her as fast as he could. And from the kiss.

Damn, damn, _damn_. Her lids had dropped half over her dark eyes, the soft sigh she'd breathed as he'd caressed her neck- -too similar to Ino. Want and achy desperation wound through his guts. That…was no fair.

He flew over the rooftops, drawing the air through his nose and finding the thread of scent that was Ino's. Seeing her, without a doubt, would resolve the frightening…just admit it…attraction. Attraction to Yukari. God, he didn't even wanna _think _about it.

Akamaru's words, forgotten until now, resurfaced to taunt him: _You can be attracted to someone but be in love with someone else._

Ino would straighten him out. She _had_ to. A glimpse of her, however brief, that would suffice, right? And then he could take care of business in the bathroom, which would solve his horniness. Yeah, good plan. He just had to get to her.

Deceptively long minutes ticked off as he scrambled to pin Ino's exact location. Angled toward ten o'clock- -and the team training grounds. Based off the ozone in her scent, she must've been working at some new jutsu. Knowing her, she'd head for home and a shower.

Kiba could intercept her en-route, no problem; however, the nearer he got to her, the more crazed he became, the more he understood what he was really going to do once he did get her. All the rush of anticipation blinded him.

Oh, God, what was his defect? He was compromising the mission. Disobeying a direct order from the Hokage. But…sex was a necessary risk for his sanity. He was a teenaged boy, not some celibate monk. Any excuse would suffice to dampen the guilt.

Abruptly, he skidded to a stop, was literally over her. In fact, the flick of her blonde hair below had him dropping off the rooftops to street level. He'd huddled against a wall between two buildings, so when Ino passed, he could easily reach out and pull her into cover. His mind leapt ahead to pressing her into him, grinding against her, hearing her gasp, then biting her neck as his hand slithered between her legs to…

Shino's voice from behind froze him. "Kiba. I have finally stopped you."

"O-oh?" His libido screamed in agony. "Uh, what do you mean by 'stopped'?"

"I have been tailing you since you left Nakamura's manor. You did not notice me?"

Sonavabitch. Kiba felt Ino's presence, smelt her seconds away. Sweat stung his eyes. "I was…um…trying to get a safe distance from the house before we talked."

"I see." Shino tone was flat. "Did you locate the product?"

"Um"- -Kiba cleared his throat; damned annoying scratch, and his heart galloped in his chest- -"yeah, I did."

Then he watched as Ino sailed by without even a glance over her shoulder to the shadows hiding two of her comrades. It had been just seconds. And now, moment gone forever. The disappointment pitted him, but he kept his face neutral. Maybe he could disengage from Shino and get to Ino anyway.

"Let us go. We must prepare for tonight's mission."

Aggravation spurted when Shino coolly turned. The whole thing stunk; like Shino had intervened to prevent a quickie rather than corralling him up for a mission briefing. Kiba seriously thought about telling Shino to get lost, that he had an important matter to discuss with the Hokage, which was along the lines of truth.

But he hesitated as they dodged up to the roofs toward a designated meeting point. Another entirely possible matter was that the Hokage assigned Shino the side mission of keeping Kiba from being impulsive. If _that _was the case, Kiba could be sure that Shino would wreck any attempt at impulsivity, including a screw with Ino.

The growl rattled in his throat at being foiled at every turn. He winced when the growl agitated the scratch. Better not be getting sick, he thought. That would suck.

**- -N- -**

By the end of the tactical briefing with his team, Kiba's throat felt punctured by nails, like they had pierced under his jaw.

_So you stink like the dredges of a hormone sewage pipe, _Akamaru stated as they traveled home. _You oughta take care of yourself when you have the privacy_.

"Shut up." Saying two words was so painful. Stung his eyes a little.

_You sound hoarse. Is your throat bothering you?_

"Yeah. Get us home."

Akamaru nodded and said nothing more, thankfully, and when they got through Naruto's front door, Kiba stumbled to his pile of blankets and wrapped himself up. He fell asleep when his head hit the pillow.

Akamaru woke him up late the next morning. The pulse in his throat felt like painful burning. Couldn't swallow without wincing, like swallowing glass. Getting up to go to the bathroom turned into a swirling circus of furniture, ceiling, and floor. He had only the energy to set out some food and water for Akamaru before collapsing. Sleep again.

A wet nose nuzzled his neck. Something in the apartment. He sat upright, alarmed.

'_s only Shino._ Akamaru's rough 'voice'.

He peered around- -shadows and inky darkness- -but then a light turned on and he cringed back. The light curled behind his eyeballs to stab his brain. His throat burned worse than before.

"Where were you? You missed our rendezvous."

He blinked away spots. Shino took shape, voice sounding strange.

"Is everything all right?" Shino stepped over to crouch beside him. "You look ill."

"I am," is what he meant to say, but the only sound that came out of him was a gasp. He pantomimed that his throat was screwed up.

"Ah. You cannot speak."

Kiba nodded.

"Have you had anything to eat recently?"

The last thing Kiba ate was at lunch yesterday, or so he guessed. When had he needed to meet up with Shino and Hinata? Couldn't remember. He shook his head.

"Do you think you could eat ramen?"

Kiba nodded.

"Rest here."

He slumped back on his pillows, watching Shino cross the room to the kitchen. His eyes closed; he didn't even realize he'd fallen asleep again until Akamaru prodded him with his cold nose.

_Wake up. Shino's got your ramen._

His extricated himself from the tangle of blanket and weakly used the wall to prop up. Shino handed him the bowl and some chopsticks, and then sat a few feet away. Kiba considered how best to attack the food and ended up sipping the hot broth, though his nose was plugged and the ramen was tasteless. His throat protested, but not much, and he was able to finish the meal.

Shino took the bowl from him. "I will let Lady Tsunade know of your condition. Perhaps you should come with me? At least then you would have someone to care for you."

Kiba shook his head. He didn't think he wanted to try moving anywhere new. Sitting up had made him sick to his stomach and dizzy. Besides, his mother might worry about him and he didn't want that. He didn't want her caring for him after he'd been a cold-hearted jerk to her.

"Very well. Hinata and I will be in to check on you regularly, as Naruto has taken another sabbatical. Is there anything you need?"

Kiba gestured at Akamaru. Go with Shino.

_What about you? I'm staying with you._

Go with Shino. I'll be fine.

_Kiba…_

"Kiba?" Shino had waited through the whole nonverbal interaction. "Are you all right?"

Kiba nodded and pointed at Akamaru, gestured that Akamaru was going with him.

Shino stood. "Very well. I will be back to check on you, and I will take care of Akamaru in the meantime."

Yes, that was what Kiba wanted. Peace and quiet. And Ino. The sudden ache in his chest stole his breath. He waved off Akamaru.

Defiantly, Akamaru arranged his footpaws. _I'm staying here with you._

Fine. Kiba didn't have the energy to argue, so he shrugged his shoulders to show Shino that Akamaru was being a bad dog. Shino turned to leave.

"I understand. I will be back."

His stomach full of hot broth and noodles, Kiba dropped back on the pillows and relaxed. Akamaru licked his face. After managing a half-hearted pat, sleep came over him.

He had dreams. Most of them were crisp Ino-dreams that were memories of the time they'd spent together. The bookstore. His house. Shino's attic. And there were details he so clearly saw that he hadn't noticed at the time. A wisp of hair on her smooth neck. The depth of her eyes. Her painted toenails. The delicateness of her wrists.

The heat of the sun made him sweaty. When had it gotten so fucking hot? He was facing Ino in the park outside the hospital, in the middle of that stupid argument about Yukari, when she pressed a hand to his forehead. That wasn't what she was supposed to do.

"He is one sick puppy," she said. "See how flush he is? And look here. There's definitely some swelling."

When her fingers squeezed lightly under his jaw, the vicious pain jolted him from his dream. But…Ino…leaned over him. So he was still dreaming? He was so _hot._ A movement to his side drew his attention; when he turned his head, buzzing swarmed his hearing and the world blurred to a haze. Stomach churned.

He had only prayers to avoid barfing run through his mind, and after a long, long minute, the discomfort receded. A little. It hadn't been worth it to see his dog flopped, full-length on the floor, all four paws in the air, as Yukari sat over him. She had scratched Akamaru into full submission. What was she doing here? And Ino…she shouldn't be here either.

A pat on his face and gently his head shifted. "Easy. Guess you need something for the pain, hunh?" Some leftover buzzing muted Ino's voice. She looked concerned. "Open your mouth. I need to see your throat."

He complied. In her hand she held a penlight that she leveled at his mouth. She narrowed her eyes, angling her head to see better. Yukari's head bobbed into view, and Kiba felt her take his hand.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Here take a look." Ino handed Yukari the penlight and leaned back. "Do you see those swollen, blister-like spots on either side of the throat?"

"Yes. What are they? Is it contagious?"

"No, not contagious, but I'm not sure what they are. I think it's what's causing his symptoms. I'll take a sample and run it to the lab. While I'm there, I can check his family history for similar occurrences."

"Should he be hospitalized?"

"Hard to say. We'll only know when the results come back from the lab."

There was a slight pause in the conversation. One of them put pressure on his chin to close his mouth. The hand Yukari clutched felt clammy and he wanted to pull away.

"What should we do now?" Yukari asked. "I mean, doesn't he need us?"

"Yeah. I can tell already that he needs a bath, and probably a meal. I should be the one to bathe him since I'm stronger and can check him over. Is that okay?"

Yukari nodded. "What should I do?"

Ino glanced at him. He gazed back, hating that he couldn't scent her, hating that even though he couldn't, he still wanted to jump her. Her bare knee was less than an inch from his hand. Carefully, he rolled his arm so that the back of his hand brushed her skin. That unassuming touch thrilled him.

"I think," she said, lifting his arm and folding it over his stomach, "that he needs clean clothes and food. Would you do that?"

"Is it okay? I mean, will Mr. Uzumaki mind?"

Ino laughed and stood, indicating that Yukari should as well. "I don't think he'll even realize it if we restock the ramen."

His mind had gone straight up Ino's skirt, and he couldn't believe that Ino was here, in this apartment, now. It was just…impossible. Kiba listened to their footsteps, feeling vacant and useless, and heard Ino show Yukari the washing and drying machines. Blood throbbed in his head. He wanted to peel the clothing off Ino to touch her and taste her and move against her.

"Okay, I'm gonna get Kiba to the bathroom. You'll be okay?" Ino asked.

"Yes."

More footsteps, and then Ino loomed over him. Could he run his hand up her leg, to the back of her knee?

"Bath time, Kibbers. Up you go." Ino leaned down, wrapped his arm over her shoulders, and hoisted, with help from an arm around his waist. She grunted; he attempted to help, but knew she'd done most of the work when she said, "You're gonna make this hard on me, aren't you?"

The world spun. He clutched Ino's shoulder, ducked his head to hers. Behind his eyelids, he still felt wobbly. Sick. Hot. Throat throbbed where his heart pulsed.

"C'mon. One step at a time."

She put pressure on his lower back to encourage him. Awkwardly they moved, Kiba sometimes reaching out to the wall for extra support, and Ino murmuring in his ear. The dizziness, heat- -the miserable sickness- -distracted him from her. He wanted to speak to her, but his voice could not pass through his throat.

Somehow, they managed to get into the bathroom. Ino set him on the toilet seat. He sat back, relieved, panting.

"Chill out for a second, okay?"

She left. Came back. Laid folded clothing on the sink counter. She then got the faucet running, and water began rising in the bathtub. The sound of pouring water filled his pounding head. He heard it and he saw it, but things looked fuzzy. He wasn't thinking clearly.

Ino started with his flak jacket, unzipping it, and helping him slide it off. He felt cooler almost instantly, and when she tugged off his shirt, he cooled down further. Skin was damp with sweat.

She giggled- -she had his one foot between her knees, and was working the laces to his boots. "You forgot to take off your shoes before going to bed."

Off came the boot, then the next one. It was like watching television, a completely passive experience, and it occurred to him that if this was _really _happening, he found it utterly arousing. When she leaned, her fingers on the button and zipper of his pants, Kiba found his strength to lift her head and press his mouth to hers. He told her through the kiss that he wanted her and that she should stay with him and that he loved her.

She hurt him when she broke the kiss, whispering, "Maybe later."

A few short minutes after, he stood, naked, with help from Ino. Dizzy again. She guided his feet, one by one, up over the tall edge of the bath tub and lowered him into the water. The water temperature was perfectly lukewarm.

Ino perched on the side, a washcloth and soap already in her hand. Kiba closed his eyes. Rested his head back. He wove between wakefulness and dream, relaxing as Ino scrubbed and rinsed him, splashing water over his chest and shoulders. She washed his hair for him; her nails felt good on his scalp, and when she lifted him and maneuvered him back to the toilet seat, he felt better- -cared for, loved.

She patted him down with the towel, the sheen of sweat on her forehead. In his mind, he pressed her head to his lap; he stood and pinned her against the wall; took her from behind over the counter. The curve of her bare back, her fall of hair, the burning appetite he had for her seemed too real. Tangible.

Only when she shifted him to pull a clean shirt over his head did he realize that he'd been daydreaming. She'd already gotten his boxers on. Had he kissed her yet today?

Ino leaned over and in her hand was a Q-tip. "I'm gonna swab your throat. Open up."

He shook his head.

"Open up."

Again, he shook his head. Tapped his mouth with his finger. Kiss me first, he meant.

"Don't play," she said. "Now's not the time."

Kiba gazed back at her, waiting for her will to bend. The staring contest lasted for a minute before she sighed, dramatically, and kissed him. A gentle, get-better-soon kiss. He had enough time rub his nose against hers before she pulled away and tilted his face to the light. She swabbed his throat, hustled him out of the bathroom (his elbow hit the doorframe that time) and propped him up on the couch.

"How's it going?" Ino asked over his shoulder. Kiba heard movement in the kitchen.

"Well, hm. Not as good as I hoped. I found some soup and crackers."

Ino left, and since he couldn't see her, Kiba closed his eyes and reveled in cleanliness. Too bad he couldn't smell.

"No, that'll be great. Do you mind caring for him? I have the sample to take to the lab, and I thought I'd take Akamaru out for a run."

_Is that okay?_ Akamaru asked.

Kiba nodded, too tired to open his eyes. Akamaru would be safe with Ino and besides, he needed the opportunity to run around outside to expel any restlessness and built-up anxiety.

"That's fine!" Yukari said. "What time do you think you'll be back?"

"It's hard to say. Probably late evening. I can let Shino or Hinata know you're here, so that'll save them the trip. Unless…you think you need help?"

"No, no. I've taken care of my little brother before when he was sick. I know just what to do."

"Okay, great. Here's some aspirin and a thermometer. Give him two of the aspirin and monitor his fever. If it gets worse, use the contents of this packet. Boil some water, steep the herbs. They should do the trick until I get back with a more definitive diagnosis."

"Thanks, Ino."

"No problem. Akamaru?"

Akamaru nuzzled Kiba to give him a few encouraging licks. _I'll see you soon. I don't think you have anything to worry about from Yukari. She seems genuinely concerned for you._

Blindly, Kiba patted some furriness, maybe Akamaru's head, maybe not, and let his hand trail the long body as Akamaru stood and walked away. The dog's nails clacked across the floor. A door opened.

"We'll see you soon," Ino said. "Bye!"

"Bye!"

The door closed. A sigh. Silence. Then, "I wonder if I'd tidied up, if anyone would mind?"

There was shuffling around for some time and then Yukari gently shook him awake. She'd brought out a lunch tray- -a cup of soup, crackers broken up in it, two aspirin- -and helped him sit up properly. His stomach cried, but after his first sip of soup, it quieted down. His throat's rawness eased under the hot liquid, allowing Kiba to swallow the aspirin.

During his eating, Yukari talked non-stop. He wished she'd be quiet. Seemed like she wanted to fill the silence, but was content with his nods every once in a while to her questions or to indicate that he was (sort of) listening. Eating the food and moving around had tired him. When Yukari took the tray back, he flopped over to rest his head against the cushiony armrest.

Pans clattered behind him, water running, humming. He was home in the living room, his mother in the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. She'd let him gorge himself on her specialty fish and now he had a stomachache. Her hand pressed his forehead; he felt hot, sweaty.

"Yer fever's gone up," she said. "Let's put you to bed."

She helped him off the couch and laid him down into his big, comfy bed. His mother turned off the light. Time passed.

A girl mumbled beside him. His brain told him it was Ino. This was their first night together, room pitch dark, and they cuddled together under the covers. She'd rolled away from him and the separation did not agree with him. Their earlier play seemed so distant, too long ago in these wee night hours. He put his hand out, testing, and found the curve of a hip.

Need flared inside him, deep in his gut. Kiba went with it. He heard a change in Ino's breathing; she stirred.

"Kiba?"

He didn't say anything, choosing instead to scoot her closer, and then letting his hand travel up her soft body so that when he leaned to kiss her, he knew where her mouth was. She wore panties and a t-shirt, but no bra, and he slipped his hand under her shirt to squeeze her breast. Ino exhaled softly. Her arms lifted, allowing him to take off the t-shirt.

Kissing her when he felt so feverish and needy was a strange experience, but if she minded, she didn't show it. He shed his t-shirt, then gently he tugged off her panties, she helped him, and when he ducked his hand between her thighs, he found her wet. She had already pushed down his shorts as they shifted together for a comfortable position.

Kiba ended up with her underneath him, feeling with the familiarity of the position a sense of déjà vu. But if they'd never had sex before…then…? Her nails across his shoulders distracted him. He licked kisses along her neck, greedy for a taste of her, and not getting satisfied. He couldn't get enough.

Between them, a hand touched him, trailed light fingers on his erection, then her hips lifted and he penetrated her. Ino cried out, Kiba's body tensed with the sudden, hot pleasure, but he couldn't stop from pulling his hips along hers, then again and again. The incredible lust roared inside him when Ino panted and moaned, he was going too fast, too hard but it was too late to slow- -

The climax blindsided him, blew his mind apart, yanked a deep emotion straight to the surface. Kiba grappled with it until it became clear; he was absolutely in love with her- -he existed to be with her.

Slowly he relaxed. He couldn't believe how much better he felt; Ino squirmed beneath him, so he rolled off, but gathered her in his arms to kiss her for being with him. Exhaustion hit fast, and Kiba dropped into sleep without fighting.

When he realized he was awake, Kiba also realized he cradled warm, soft skin, his arm wrapped around a ribcage. Ino. The plane of her back nestled against his chest; he could feel her breathing. He hadn't been dreaming last night. Just before the elation went to his head, Kiba felt something about her was wrong and that wrongness sunk his stomach like lead. What was wrong, exactly, he wasn't sure.

Pretend everything's fine and keep yer damn eyes shut, he told himself. He wished he could listen to his own advice, but Inuzukas were not cowards.

He forced open his gummy eyes. Yellow hair didn't leap out to grab his attention. The short hair was black.

Who he held close was not Ino, but Yukari.

* * *

**A/N: **Ah, okay. So please don't kill me. =) I'll hopefully have the next chapter Sat., Aug. 7th. _Hopefully_. In the meantime, leave me some love?


	22. It Hits the Fan

**A/N: **Welcome back, dear readers. In a rare show of motivation and a flurry of typing, I have completed this chapter. You may breathe a sigh: we are nearing the end! Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed and supported the story, especially PSI who always supports me. =) Enjoy!

* * *

**XXII: It Hits the Fan**

He didn't know how long he stared at Yukari. Telling himself to breathe. Breathe. Time seemed to slow, emotions and thoughts piling up, one after another, until all of it was an incoherent jumble.

The confusion nauseated him, the bile in his throat leaving a burning stain, sweat breaking out. Even through the wreck in his brain, two thoughts were clear: How did _this _happen? and He needed to get the _hell _outta there. He could at least accomplish the latter.

Carefully, oh, _so _carefully, he adjusted Yukari off his arm, slipping gently out of twisted blankets, and when he was free, he shuffled back on elbows and ass to rest. When Yukari stirred, he froze instantly, his heart-rate tripping.

Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. She settled back with a sigh. All his physical alarms had sounded, and he wasted precious minutes trying to get his shit together.

Standing was dangerous. The dizziness engulfed him, and so he crawled on hands and knees to his backpack. He fiddled with the zipper and buckles, frustration with his shaking fingers slowing him, and when he got the pack open, he didn't care, he shook everything out on the floor.

Quietly, his pack regurgitated his clothes. He wrangled on the first pair of pants and shirt he put his hands on, stepped into his boots, and without tying them fled the apartment.

Staggering, gripping the handrail for dear life, he negotiated the dark stairs- -his bootlaces caught underfoot more often than not- -and stumbled into hot, blinding sun and a busy street. The dizziness screwed up his sense of direction; he could not smell a damn thing; desperate to get as far from Yukari as possible, he headed in the direction he faced.

He walked, kept his shoulder dragging against buildings for support; each time he left the solid walls, he couldn't keep upright. Watched his shoelaces flopping, following them, watched as a myriad of feet crossed his vision.

The heat pounded on his back; his sweat left sticky residue. Over and over and over he asked, "How did it happen?" Had to stop, his stomach…hurt. Putting pressure where it hurt; muscles had clenched too tightly, heat throbbed through him. He knew that feeling.

Oh, God, oh, _God_. He was gonna puke. _Fuck._ Somehow he worked his way into a feet-free area, the dark cooling and private. As his shaking worsened, so did the heat fanning up and out all over, he got his forearm planted on the chilled cement wall, leaned, and retched. On principle, his stomach heaved again- -felt like his body wanted to turn inside out- -nothing but acid came up.

Breathe. Breathe. He spat, but it didn't help the sting in his throat. Exhausted, unwilling to collapse wherever he was, he lurched forward. Maybe he'd go home. He traveled in the dark, breaking into sunlight and another street, blinked and tried to figure his location through haze. Crap. Didn't know which direction to go. Panic hurried up and squeezed his throat.

His wheeling vision had gone blurry. Heat suffocated him. Dammit. If he didn't rest, he'd pass out. _Breathe._ He kept his narrowing focus on his toes, swung around a corner, and bumped headfirst into someone standing there.

Kiba stumbled back. A flak jacket. Thigh holster, boots.

"Kiba? Son?"

The air left his lungs, and remarkably, his eyesight sharpened on his mother's face, the cigarette dangling out of her darkened lips, the crow's feet in the corners of her eyes, red triangles. Familiar features.

His heart jumped into his throat; he remembered what he'd done to her, how he had hurt her _on purpose _so she'd leave him alone, and he couldn't believe how much he _missed _her and that loyalty he had, that absolute _love_, froze him in place. Some part of him, some hidden, dark, part had been scared that she'd forget about him.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay," she said gently. The cigarette fell from her lips. "Lemme take you home, kiddo."

Mom reached out, but Kiba's fight or flight response kicked in and he shied away from her hand. He couldn't adequately comprehend the conflict raging inside him: he wanted to crumple into her arms; he had to turn tail and flee.

His lungs forced him to drag air through his mouth. He hadn't known he'd been holding his breath. Whatever he was feeling, it hurt, pulsing behind his temples, pulsing in his chest. Alive and eating.

Mom shifted forward. "Easy. I'm not gonna hurt you."

He'd been running from something, what had it been? And a horrid, filthy memory slipped into his brain, the image of Yukari, naked, curled next to him, of the sex he couldn't quite remember, answered his question. Humiliation and shame cued his flight response along with Mom's hand on his arm, but he jerked away and ran. He ran and ran and ran until darkness enveloped him, gasping and drenched in sweat.

Shouting punctured the thick black. "_Dammit! Kiba!_"

Barking. A firm grasp; he struggled. Unintelligible mumbling. A sharp prick in his arm, then he felt or heard nothing else.

**- -N- -**

Waking up was damn hard to do. He had oozed into a comfortable, cushiony heaven that he was loathe to ooze out of. There was that, and there was the suspicion that a return to reality would be more than it was worth to move. Every single muscle and bone agreed with him except, unfortunately, his bladder. He had to pee, and he had to pee _right now._

Much like a butterfly worked out of its cocoon, he wiggled free of a dense wrapping of blankets. First impression was the darkness. He took a breather and realized, hey, I feel much better…but where the hell am I?

The scents that reached his nose were faint; he didn't want to strain and cause himself more problems. His last clear memory was the tactical meeting with Shino and Hinata. After that…details were a little fuzzy.

He'd been deposited on a couch, complete with linens and a couple pillows. There was an end-table with a light and alarm clock, and a coffee table situated between his couch and a desk, cluttered with office materials and pictures, turned-away. Blinds covered half-wall windows to his right, and there was a door further back. On the right wing of the couch, light illuminated a second doorway, and curious, Kiba stood- -with minimal dizziness- -to investigate.

Ah, thank God, the bathroom, complete with toilet, shower, sink. After using the facilities, including the toothbrush and toothpaste that had been set on the sink (Ino's note stuck in the mirror clued him in), he realized where he was: the office of the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. How he'd gotten there and for how long he'd been there remained a mystery.

Soft scratching at the office door. _Kiba? Kiba, are you awake?_

Akamaru! Kiba shuffled over, body stiff and popping, and opened the door to let in his oldest friend. Akamaru shoved through, huge body knocking Kiba on his ass, and proceeded to smother his master and companion with nuzzles and kisses, while receiving pats and nuzzles back. Akamaru's massive tail swung with a steady _whap, whap, whap,_ against the doorframe.

"Hi mutt," he said, laughing, "good to see you."

_Hey! He-ey! You can talk! Is your throat still really sore?_

'Talk' was relative. He sounded like he had a bad case of laryngitis. "Not sore, no."

_I can tell you're getting better. I was worried about you!_

"Why's that?" He stood and went to sit on the couch, Akamaru on his heels. An odd sense of completion had returned to Kiba, like he couldn't get better without his dog.

_Kiba._ Akamaru's serious tone caught his attention. _Do you remember me leaving with Ino yesterday?_

"Sorta. What happened?"

_We left you with Yukari so Ino could check out your condition at the hospital. Ino ended up falling asleep while waiting for the results, and when we returned to Naruto's…you'd gone missing and Yukari was nowhere in sight._ Akamaru rested his chin on Kiba's knee; his soft furry head wonderfully familiar. _Your scent was screwy, Kiba, like you were in a panic and when we found you, you wouldn't let Ino help you._

Hn, some clip of memory occurred to him. Kiba opened his arm to check the inside of his elbow- -a red dot stood out on his skin. "So she used a sedative on me."

_Yeah. Sorry, _Akamaru said, pink tongue curling out to lick his arm apologetically._ We brought you here since it was closest. You've been asleep up 'til now, buddy. Shino and Hinata just left and Ino is over at Naruto's picking up your stuff. Heh, she said it'd be easier to get your gear to you than it would be to get you to your gear. And it was Inoichi's idea, anyway._

Akamaru chuckled when Kiba grimaced at thought of being near Ino's dad. _Inoichi was _very _accommodating. Think he knows about you'n'Ino yet?_

"Don't you breathe a word."

"About what?"

Kiba snapped up his head as the overhead lights flickered on, and lividly (inwardly) cursed his nose for being offline when he saw Inoichi in the doorway. Brief panic skittered cold through him. No one could sneak up on him like Inoichi could.

Inoichi lifted a breakfast tray; immediately, Kiba accepted the interruption in favor of food. "Never mind," Inoichi added, "I don't want to know."

Kiba patted Akamaru's head and watched quietly as Inoichi came over and settled the breakfast tray on the coffee table. Breathed a sigh when a bowl of ramen steamed lightly; some bread and a glass of water accompanied the ramen. And in the corner of the tray, sat a small, gift-wrapped box.

_What's that? _Akamaru asked, as Kiba picked the gift up and thinking it had been placed there by mistake, showed it to Inoichi.

"Go ahead and open it," Inoichi said from the desk. "It's something else that belongs to you." Then sternly, "_Open it,_" when Kiba started to argue.

His fingernails more than adequate in shredding the gift-wrap, Kiba had the box open in a couple seconds. Nestled in cotton was a polished, ivory tooth on a leather string. When he held it up to the light, the enamel shone along the one and half-inch curved length.

"It's a wolf's tooth. Prehistoric," Inoichi clarified when Kiba glanced over, skeptical, "and passed down through the Inuzuka clan for generations as a sort of…good luck charm. It was given to your father from your mother."

Akamaru sniffed at it. _That's awesome. Put it on, and let's see how it looks!_

"Can I…wear it?"

"Of course. It's yours."

"Thank you," Kiba said, ducking his head into the leather loop. To Akamaru, "How's it look?"

The dog's lips curled back in a smile. _Badass._

Yeah, it was badass. The necklace was lighter than he thought and rested against his heart; the tooth had probably rested against his _father's _heart. The point of the canine was still sharp when he tested it with his fingertip.

Inoichi gestured with a pen. "There's a back-story if you're interested. But first, eat your lunch. Ino'll kill me if you go hungry."

At the front of the store came the cheery jangle of bells.

_Speak of the devil. She's here!_ Akamaru's tail wagged.

Footsteps crossed tiled floor and another door opened. Then Ino's voice sang through the back of the store. "Hell-_o_! I'm ba-ack!" And she flounced into the office, full of life and all smiles.

Her presence had an immediate, chaotic effect. Physically, he shivered and his heart skipped a beat. He needed her there; he was terrified and nauseous for a reason that he didn't quite grasp and for a reason he did: Ino was still in danger from Mrs. Nakamura. A nip on his arm directed his attention to his dog.

_She figured if Nakamura wanted her dead for helping you out, she'd be dead by now, _Akamaru said. _And she missed you, so be calm._

"Look," she said, "he's up!"

Kiba saw Inoichi's curious half-smile as Ino dropped a kiss on her father's forehead and then dumped the backpack next to the wall. He noticed she wore a flak jacket, _his _flak jacket, and she slipped it off to hang it and his leather jacket on a couple hooks that had been screwed into the bathroom door.

Thankfully she didn't sit next to him on the couch, choosing instead to lean a hip against her father's desk. Kiba didn't think he'd be able to resist temptation even with Inoichi sitting right there.

"You don't have to stop eating on _my _account," Ino said to him. He turned his intense focus to the ramen as she spoke. Anything to keep from jumping her bones. "So I checked out your family history. The development of glands comes naturally for Inuzukas. It's painful, but nothing aspirin can't fix.

"And before either of you ask," she said, her tone anticipatory, "using chakra to try to fix the pain or the glands only complicates their development. Bed-rest and fluids for another couple of days is recommended. Then you'll be back on your feet. Though, your running around in the heat didn't help you any."

"Gotcha." Kiba sipped up the noodles, unable to taste them. He wanted badly to hug Ino and kiss her. Stroke her hair. Nuzzle her. "Thanks for yer help."

She smiled. "I'm happy to help."

"Kiba," Inoichi said suddenly, "why _did_ you leave the apartment?"

A bout of nervousness kept him quiet, and he didn't have to answer before Ino piped up.

"He probably doesn't know for sure, Daddy. When we got there, nothing was out of place…except for _him._" A contemplative pause. Kiba continued eating, one hand on Akamaru's head. "Although, his clothes and things were out of his pack stacked and folded, and also the blankets and sleeping bag were folded up."

"Kiba wouldn't have done that. Inuzukas are not known for their tidiness."

Kiba let Inoichi's off-handed remark pass.

"Good point. But do you think…someone woke him and then neatened the place up?"

They spoke to each other like he wasn't a part of the conversation. He didn't want to get involved because having both Yamanakas there made him feel twitchy…something about why he left the apartment. Maybe he didn't want to go digging around for answers in his head, but he wouldn't be a good shinobi if he didn't.

"It still doesn't answer the question," Inoichi said. "Why did Kiba leave?"

"When Yukari came looking for him, and we went to visit him, his fever was extremely high. Might've been that he'd hallucinated and the hallucination caused him to leave."

"You mean he thought he saw something and got scared off."

"Yes. He was a significant distance from the apartment, which makes me think he'd been running for awhile. I had to use a sedative to calm him down."

"I see." A long pause. "I think it's best if we let him stay here. Is that okay with you, Kiba?"

Could he really say no? He had nowhere else to go, and at least here, he could watch Ino. "Yeah, that'll be…fine."

"Good," Inoichi said. "Now we'll let you rest. Ino and I will be available if you need anything. Don't worry about lunch or dinner. We'll get it for you. Is there anything else you need?"

"Probably something to do," Ino said. When her father glanced at her, she fidgeted. "I mean, from what I've heard, he gets bored easily."

Inoichi turned his gaze back to Kiba. "Is that so"- -stated, not asked- -"Do you read?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Yeah, kinda," Inoichi repeated, chuckling. He spun around the chair, rolling it over the tile to a cabinet along the wall. "Try these. They're old, but they're classics."

"Like you, Daddy," Ino chirped.

Inoichi grinned. "Like me." Then he stood and transferred the three shabby paperback novels to Kiba, saying, "We've got a lot to do today, and I have afternoon training with my genins. Mrs. Yamanaka will be by to help out then. You'll hold down the fort from here?"

Was that a joke he detected? He wasn't sure, so he responded by nodding. "Thanks for everything."

An even gaze from Inoichi pinned him. "No trouble. Any time."

Together, Ino and Inoichi exited the office, closing the door quietly on Kiba and Akamaru. He could hear them moving and chatting in the backroom, but he didn't listen in on them. Being in their territory was bad enough.

_They're being really helpful, _Akamaru said. _I doubt we'll be able to pay them back for it all._

Kiba snorted. "No kidding." He patted Akamaru's head. "You sure yer okay cooped up with sick little ole me?"

_Heh, heh. Yeah. Someone's gotta keep an eye on you._ He promptly folded his paws together and settled down his head on them. _Taking a nap now. You read your book._

At lunchtime, Ino served him much better fare than Inoichi had provided; easy-to-swallow rice and scrambled eggs and steaming green tea. She sat beside him on the couch, leaning down, since he'd sprawled out lengthwise. Her ponytail hung free over her shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, fingers at his throat, and in that proximity, Kiba felt self-conscious, almost uncomfortable, which was so weird and surprising he couldn't explain it. "You sound a lot better than a couple days ago."

"I feel better."

"That's good." She leaned closer and kissed him; he kissed back out of pure reaction. Against his mouth, "Hm. It's been a long time."

Since his smell and taste were knocked out, he responded to the feel of her soft lips, the smooth slickness of her tongue along his. Heat spurted from his groin, chemistry and emotion working together to intensify his arousal.

The kiss was driving them toward the point of no return. But his brain sent opposite messages, including a very sharp memory of kissing _Yukari _and having a similar response. Shocked, he flinched away.

"What?" she asked, after a second of collecting herself, "What's wrong?"

Kiba passed a hand over his face. He felt unsettled, restless. "We shouldn't be doing this in yer father's office."

The excuse was flimsy, she probably saw through it, but she nodded. "I understand. I'm…gonna leave you alone. I'll come back to take care of your plates."

Ino took his hand and pressed a few kisses on the back of it, then stood and left, closing the door behind her.

_I figured you woulda taken the opportunity to hump her, _Akamaru remarked from his spot along the wall. _The way you were shooting looks at her earlier._

"Something's wrong with me." Of that, he was sure. "But I don't know what it is yet."

Akamaru snorted. _Obviously. You better figure it out or else she's gonna get disappointed._

He ate his lunch in silence, wondering about that inappropriate Yukari-thought that he'd associated with Ino. Kissing Yukari had been just at the start of his illness. He remembered trying to track down Ino, but failing when Shino interrupted and took him to the team tactical meeting.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, and he still could not think of anything that had caused his strange aversion to Ino's physical contact. He showered and went to bed when Ino's mother closed the shop.

A dark dream occurred. He knew he was dreaming, but with perverse fascination, he allowed what he saw to play out. Yukari was with him, the details of the space blurry. He kissed her, touched her, like he did with Ino, and realized he loved Ino but couldn't stop what he was doing to Yukari.

The feral, predatory side of him relished the idea of experiencing two girls, pushed him to take Yukari, and he let himself do it. She was upset, the sheen of tears on her cheeks, clearly miserable, but he saw it too late, couldn't stop himself, couldn't peel Yukari off him, had risen nearly to climax…something aggressive and evil breathed down his neck, pinning him to her.

She cried out; he struggled violently.

Acute pain shattered the dream. Kiba woke, panting, achy, sweaty. The sheets and blankets had been flung off. Akamaru whined and nuzzled him; he needed space and gently pushed the canine back.

He touched his arm where it throbbed. "Sonavabitch."

_You were having quite a nightmare. _Akamaru growled and licked where he'd bit Kiba. _I'm sorry, but you were thrashing around. I didn't know what else to do._

"No, it's okay. Thanks, buddy."

_Are you…will you be okay?_

"I…I don't know. I think whatever's wrong with me has somethin' to do with Yukari." He glanced at the alarm clock and cringed. "It's too early to be having this discussion. We'll talk in the morning."

Akamaru growled in disapproval.

"I know," he answered, "you don't like it. But I'm exhausted."

After tucking in the linens on his 'bed', he laid back. Sleep was more of an aware doze, and when Inoichi opened the shop, Kiba greeted him, dressed and starting the second novel.

The pattern of the next day matched the first day, only with more visitors. Hana showed up, Shino and Hinata after that, Mrs. Yamanaka, and surprisingly Shi and his two teammates. Most of the conversation was on the visitor's side, updating Kiba, asking him how he felt. Ino had the day off as she was needed at the hospital.

Worn out from all the company, Kiba went to bed (again) when Mrs. Yamanaka closed the shop and slept solidly the entire night. The next morning, too early for the shop to be open, Shi crashed into the office, causing him to bolt upright from the deep sleep.

"Kiba!" The kid looked pale and faintly green when he flicked on the lights. "Yukari needs you _now!"_

Still half-asleep, Kiba opened his mouth to reply, but instead of words coming out, loaded scent flew in. The stench of panic and sweat rolling off Shi coated his tongue, jammed into his sinuses, and reached down his throat to torment the new glands.

The detergent used to wash Shi's clothes, the spot of sauce on the kid's shirt; deodorant, soap, shampoo; Yukari's scent; the smell of the house; something Shi'd stepped in on the way over; the bubblegum in Shi's pocket; and adolescent hormones clarified, leaving him overwhelmed, like he'd been punched, _hard,_ in the face.

Akamaru had sat up on his haunches. _Kiba? You okay?_

"KIBA! YUKARI NEEDS YOU NOW!" Shi screamed, and rushing over, yanked Kiba by the arm. A fresh wave of hysteria. "WE DON'T HAVE TIME!"

The sudden movement towards his master jolted Akamaru to his feet, snarling, barking.

Shi's forceful pull snapped Kiba out of his stupor and he felt his emotions climbing with Shi's. Mom had warned him that scenting another's extreme emotions could cause him a similar reaction; he'd already experienced it sexually with Ino.

Shi's panic wrought panic in Kiba, and it was worse than usual with his new glands. He had to chill out; he waved off Akamaru, who dropped the defensive stance but continued to keep watch.

"Shi. _Shi,_" he said, jerking the genin by the shirtfront when he struggled, "yer panicking. Calm. Down."

"You don't understand!" Good God, the kid was _crying _now! Great big tears dripped over his cheeks. With Kiba's new super-senses, he could basically taste the salt. "Yukari is in trouble! Why aren't you _going_?"

"I'm not goin' anywhere until yer calm. Sit over here and work on breathing while I get dressed." Kiba plunked Shi on the couch, then dug through his backpack for clothes to change into. He nodded at Akamaru, who'd give Shi some comfort. "You need to tell me what's goin' on so I don't go in cold."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Shi said, sniffing. "Lemme…get together."

A few moments passed as Kiba hauled on some clothes and grabbed his leather jacket off the hook. He turned when he sensed a sharp decline in Shi's stress levels and found Shi stroking Akamaru's head. A few more seconds couldn't hurt, so Kiba took the time to check and strap on his gear and lace up his boots. By the time he was done, Shi had stopped crying and had regrouped.

"Now," Kiba moved the coffee table back and crouched in front of Shi, "tell me what's goin' on."

"My mom found Yukari with the servant, Kai. They were," a blush rose in Shi's cheeks, matched the embarrassment in his scent, "_you know_…"

"Having sex," Kiba finished, figuring that was what it was. "When was that?"

Shi closed his eyes. "Maybe four or five days ago. I'm not sure, but I know that they've been...together a long time. Mom had been suspicious before and threatened to hurt Kai if Yukari didn't catch you, whatever that means."

"Was that when you followed us on our date?" Kiba remembered how Yukari had been upset and hurt when she'd confronted him at his house. Then the strange vibe coming from the Nakamura manor when he'd picked up Yukari for their double-date. It made sense. "Yer mom hits Yukari, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. But that's not what's wrong. Yukari's…" Shi swallowed, like the words had gotten lodged in his throat. "Yukari's…pregnant, Kiba."

Kiba went cold and thought he'd misheard Shi, but his ears never lied. He knew something like this was gonna happen. He'd known as soon as he'd smelled Kai's scent all over Yukari, saw the devotion she had to him in her eyes. Waking up to Yukari beside him hadn't been a dream or hallucination brought on by his illness- -_it had actually happened_. Suddenly he felt sick to his stomach. Bet he could guess why.

_Holy shit._ Akamaru broke the long silence. _Is it…?_ He left the rest unsaid.

"It's Kai's."

"You mean…you haven't…?" Shi asked. "But that doesn't make any sense! Yukari claimed it wasn't his! That _you _were the father and she had proof! And that the one time with Kai was a fluke!"

Akamaru gazed at Kiba shrewdly. _This ain't soundin' good. Did you mate with Yukari?_

A headache throbbed in his head as the pieces fit together. Yukari had gotten pregnant by Kai. Mrs. Nakamura threatened Kai's life unless Yukari could get evidence that proved that she'd had sex with _him._ His little guys inside her would prove it amply. But what makes Mrs. Bitch think that he'd be that easy to manipulate? A simple DNA test on the baby would prove his innocence.

"Yukari and I did have sex, but her baby is definitely Kai's."

_Kiba. Kiba, are you serious? You _slept with _Yukari?_ Akamaru's evident disbelief upset Kiba further. _What about Ino? How could you? Didn't you choose her?_

"Akamaru!" Stress cracked his voice. Defensive words leapt out. "I didn't consciously do it. You guys had left and I thought she was Ino!"

_And your nose was screwed up so…_

"I didn't know otherwise."

_Was that when you…?_

"Left the apartment, yeah." Kiba rubbed his forehead. The headache didn't abate. "Let's not get into that right now."

Shi waved a hand. "Hello? Who are you talking to?"

Kiba ignored the remark. "Shi, what made you go hysterical?"

"I wasn't hysterical," Shi said immediately. He continued as Kiba rolled his eyes. "Mom had Roach take Kai somewhere on orders to kill him if you didn't collaborate with Yukari's story. That's all I know."

_Mrs. Bitch's got something up her sleeve, I can smell it, _Akamaru said, growling softly.

"We'll have to force her hand." That's all they could do. This was the time lines were drawn. "Shi. Can I count on you?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I _mean_, are you on Yukari's side or yer mom's? Who're you gonna protect?"

Shi looked stricken for a moment, but then his features hardened. "I'm tired of my mom's shit. I wanna help my sister be happy."

That at least was a relief. Kiba nodded. "Good to hear it. We're leaving. You'll be riding on Akamaru's back. Just hang on."

In short order, they exited the flower shop and sped across rooftops. Kiba's emotional state was in flux; he went from anger to fear to guilt to shock and back again. The coldness had not left him; he was clammy and shaken. Mentally, he tried to remain logical, but he couldn't help freaking out.

He could guess that now Yukari had what she needed from him, he'd be expected to play ball and marry her. With a sick twist, he thought perhaps Mrs. Nakamura wouldn't take chances and so would act on her threat to end Ino's life. _That's _why Ino'd gone unscathed when she'd assisted him before…Ino would be the leverage Mrs. Nakamura would need for her moment of triumph.

The three of them landed at the front door of the Nakamura manor, bypassing the front gate entirely. Instinct urged Kiba to flee, but he jammed his hands in his pockets and stayed, refusing to be intimidated by a pregnant girl and her sociopathic mother.

Ino's earrings, forgotten, pricked his knuckles. They gave him a small comfort in this time of crisis, but what they really did was remind him of who he was. His mean side wanted to let Yukari lie in the bed she'd made, to hell with the consequences, but his sense of duty to her as a civilian was stronger.

_What's the plan? _Akamaru asked. _You oughta bring in me in with you._

Kiba shook his head. "If something goes wrong, I need someone on the outside."

A fear-scent clung to the house. All the servants were anxious; he heard the hesitation in their movements, the quiet breathing. Mrs. Bitch and Yukari were in the office; Yukari's scent was the same, but different, her body gearing up to become a life-support system for her child, and terrified. Above all, terrified.

"Okay, Shi," Kiba said, ignoring his own tumultuousness, "I'm gonna do whatever I can to get you and yer sister out of yer mother's reach. Akamaru's gonna stay out here. You get by yer sister and you _stay _there. If somethin' happens to me, yer responsible for gettin' her _out_. Lemme handle yer mom and Roach. Is that clear?"

Shi nodded. "Yeah."

Kiba took a steadying breath and entered the house, where he was sure he was stepping into a trap.

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**A/N: **So, did you like that? I hope you did; you can let me know in the reviews. =) Look forward to the next chapter on Sat. Aug, 21st. Until then!


	23. The Fury of an Inuzuka

**A/N: **WH00T! Made it up to 100K words. Also, I am trying so, SO hard to finish this story before work and classes get in the way, and I plan on posting chapters on time even if it kills me. Thanks to all who have managed to get this far with me. Please, enjoy! =)

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**XXIII: The Fury of an Inuzuka**

Once inside the manor, Shi started forward, stopping short when Kiba stuck out a hand to halt him.

"Hold on a second, kid."

"Wha- -?" Shi pushed his arm down. "Why?"

"We need to know what we're gettin' into here. Chill out and lemme figure out where we stand."

Indoors was cool and dim, the foyer open and tiled. Ticking from a grandfather clock echoed through the openness, but nothing else disturbed the house. The staircase leading to the second floor curved around the wall to the right. From what he remembered of the blueprints and from being there before, Nakamura's office was on the third floor.

He closed his eyes and held up his fingers in concentration, the potency of scents increasing exponentially. With his glands he needed a few moments to adjust, to understand what he detected.

Small amounts of recognizable chemicals. Insects. _Roach's_ cockroaches, and if he was correct, one was accompanying Mrs. Nakamura, and a large group had nestled where the secret laboratory entrance was located. Roach did not seem to be on the premise. Otherwise, he didn't think they'd face any resistance on their way up to and inside the office.

Kiba nudged Shi forward. "Okay. Lead the way."

Shi nodded, taking a few hesitant steps, but when Kiba shifted to follow, he picked up the pace. They bounded up the stairs, two at a time, and wound through dark hallways, whipping around the corners recklessly. All the household staff remained inconspicuous, either because they sensed something dangerous going on or because of orders from Mrs. Nakamura.

During these brief moments, Kiba attempted to make a plan, but his thoughts scattered each time he tried forming scenarios. Until it was too late, they were at the doors to Nakamura's office. Now it was a matter of playing Mrs. Nakamura's sick game.

Shi didn't hesitate. He kicked open the doors and marched in. "MOM!" he shouted. "I gotcha Inuzuka!"

The office hadn't changed much since the last time he'd been there. The windows had been replaced and in front of them, Mrs. Nakamura sat at the loveseat behind the coffee table, dressed to the nines as usual. Yukari sat farthest away from her mother on the loveseat, knees pulled up to her chin.

Immediately Shi rushed over to his sister, who looked pale and graven. Her terror coated the inside of Kiba's nostrils. He locked eyes with her red rimmed ones and nodded. The silent understanding dawned on Yukari as she unfolded herself and gathered Shi close.

"Welcome back, Inuzuka Kiba. It's good to see you again." Mrs. Nakamaru gestured him over. He approached, wanting to slam her face into the wall, but chose to shove his hand in his pocket to roll Ino's earrings with the pad of his finger. "You've been sick for a few days, haven't you?"

The silence after her question indicated she expected an answer. "Yeah. But you didn't call me over to check my health, didja?"

She chuckled. "Hm. I've always liked that you get to the point. So here it is…I told you so." When Kiba lifted his eyebrows, she said, "I said you'd marry Yukari, that it was only a matter of time. That time has come."

Okay, so she didn't know that _he _knew what was going on. He played dumb. "What the fuck're you _talkin'_ about?"

"You never were one to go down without a fight." Mrs. Bitch picked up the old-fashioned fan from the coffee table and splayed it out between her hands. "You've been caught. I set the trap, you fell for it, and it has shut." To demonstrate, she snapped shut the fan. "All that's left is to complete the paperwork."

"Yer gettin' ahead of yerself." He phrased his next statement to guide Mrs. Nakamura to the issue at hand. "There's nothin' tying me to Yukari."

Mrs. Bitch threw her head back and laughed, low in her throat. Coldly. "You poor, stupid boy. Yukari's pregnant with _your _child. She took the pregnancy test just the other day. And furthermore, I know all about your tryst with her. She even got an examination that found _genetic material _that matched your DNA. So you see, there's _plenty _tying you to Yukari."

Kiba glared at her without saying anything. Acting as if he was resisting. Then with a resigned sigh and a show of slumping his shoulders, he crossed the room to sit in the chair facing Mrs. Nakamura. Submitting.

"What do I do?" he asked.

"It's very simple." She gestured at a packet of papers on the table with her fan. "That's the paperwork stating you are the father of Yukari's child and you are bound by 'A Right to Claim' to take responsibility for her. Unfortunately," she tapped the fan on her knee, "you're a minor at fifteen. You'll have to take the papers to your mother for her signature."

She grinned at him, a slow, nasty grin that chilled Kiba. Instantly he knew she wanted to savor what she told him next. Yukari made a sound, a kinda choked sob or whimper. He glanced at her and she had Shi in a death-grip, both of them trembled. Ah. So this is what Mrs. Bitch had been waiting for.

Kiba folded the papers and tucked them inside his jacket. "Well, is that it?"

Another low laugh. "No. It's not. See, I happen to know shinobi very well. In fact, I know shinobi well enough to understand that when a situation is at its crisis, they will decide to become a hero. Are you a hero, Kiba?"

When she gazed at him, expectantly, he shrugged. Something rustled under her crisp, pressed suit-jacket. A small lump pushed the material up at the top of her shoulder. The lump moved in a lazy pattern down her arm, hesitating every so often and then continuing.

Disgusted, Kiba realized the cockroach he'd smelt in the office was _on_ Mrs. Nakamura. From her sleeve, the roach peeked out then scuttled up her arm to her shoulder. He tried to avoid shuddering.

"I hope for Ino's sake, and for Kai's sake, that you aren't."

She flicked a manila envelope at him. Inside were photos of Kai and Ino. Both were bound and gagged, and Ino had bruises and cuts over her face, but her icy gaze cut through straight to him, a look that said "Fuck you" if anything.

On their laps was a newspaper. The photo was close enough so that Kiba could see the headlines. Mrs. Nakamura reached under the coffee table and slapped down a thick newspaper. Today's paper. And the headlines matched the ones in the photo.

His brain calculated before he could avoid it. The newspapers were usually out by four in the morning. The photos were Polaroid's, snapped and developed instantly. Ino had been working at the hospital.

Roach could've abducted her when she got off her shift, since med-nins worked twelve hours a shift, and she would've been off at seven this morning. The flower shop didn't open until eight, leaving enough time for Shi to contact Kiba and bring him back to the manor. Plenty of time to snap the photos, kill them, and dispose of the bodies.

"I can see what you're thinking. I wouldn't kill off my leverage," Mrs. Bitch said. "She and Kai will be released when you've returned inside the hour with these papers signed. If not," she lifted her hand- -the roach had scuttled into her palm- -and stroked the shiny black exoskeleton, "I let Roach have his fun."

With a wink, she kissed the roach where she'd been stroking. Holy shit. Had he just witnessed that? _Seriously_? And it hadn't been a quick peck. Oh, no. _This_ kiss was an intimate-bordering-on-passionate exchange. Stunned, he watched as the roach's antennae and legs twitched (in pleasure, maybe?), and he smelt a burst of arousal in Mrs. Nakamura's scent. She was getting off on tongue-kissing that insect!

Kiba's insides lurched. He broke out in a cold sweat, and grim determination kept him from dry heaving. He breathed, _breathed, _and swallowed back acid, had to ignore the discomfort. The next move would make or break him.

"I do this on one condition," he said, adding the photos to the paperwork, "I take Yukari with me."

Mrs. Bitch's features contorted. "Absolutely not. How dumb do you think I am?"

Careful, he warned himself. You got one shot at this. "I don't think yer dumb at all. And neither is my mother. Yukari'll be my proof that I've been a bad boy. Mom'll sign the papers immediately if I have Yukari there."

Her eyes narrowed as she considered. Shi and Yukari had frozen, possibly too frightened to move; Kiba listened to their shallow breathing, their rapid heartbeats. His own heart thudded against ribs. If this turned to shit, he'd have to get Yukari and Shi out of there.

But what could he do about Kai and Ino? Could he rely on the awareness of other shinobi to save them when everything had been planned and executed in the shadows?

"Very well," she answered him. Kiba masked his surprise with a nod as Mrs. Nakamura continued, "You may take Yukari with you. But at eight o'clock sharp, I give the command to kill or free them. Understand?"

"Yeah. Gotcha." There was no time to waste. "Yukari, Shi, we're going."

The three of them stood. Yukari and Shi held tight to each other, and Kiba kept an eye on Mrs. Nakamura, in case she decided to do something…murderous. She remained seated, a satisfied smile tweaking her lips.

"I'll see you at eight o'clock, Kiba-dear," she said as he shut the doors.

Before he even had a chance to turn, Yukari flung her arms around him, squeezing tightly. Her scent told him how stressed, upset, ashamed, and terrified she was, and that she'd worked up some tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, voice ripe with anguish, "I didn't know what else to do!"

She probably referred to taking advantage of him, but he couldn't think about that now. He had to get control and get outta there. Kiba loosened Yukari's grip so he could wrap an arm around her.

Shi was supposed to be calming her, where had he gone? The kid had disappeared from his sister's side, and a sudden series of crashes drew Kiba's attention to vases shattering against the wall. Yukari jumped in surprise, clutching the seams of his jacket.

"I HATE HER!" Shi screamed, heaving another vase at the wall. "I HOPE SHE DIES!"

Goddammit, now was not the time to be taking out parental hate on innocent pottery. Okay. Control the situation.

"Shi. We have to move." Yukari refused to be pried from him, so Kiba walked with her attached to him, keeping her close under his arm. "Yer comin' or you stay. It's up to you."

Without waiting for Shi's answer, Kiba hustled away from Nakamura's office. He heard another couple of vases break to pieces and the quick thudding of footsteps running down the hallway. Shi caught up as Kiba rushed down the stairs to the second floor, having already thought a couple steps ahead.

"When we get outside, you hop on Akamaru. Yukari, I'll be carrying you on my back." He and Akamaru were the fastest, and he could not afford to go at Shi's slower pace. "We'll go to my family compound. Hopefully my mom's not on a mission somewhere."

"What'll happen if she is?" Shi asked, glancing over.

"I don't know." It terrified him, so he opted to avoid thinking about it. "We hafta try the compound."

They flew out the front doors, where Akamaru had been sitting on guard. In the briefest of words, Kiba explained the dilemma as Shi climbed on board Akamaru and Kiba situated Yukari on his own back. Then they rocketed over the rooftops, feet barely touching surfaces, silence hanging like a shroud around them. Yukari's arms were tight around his neck, her breathing heavy and erratic.

Long minutes stretched into eternity until the familiar Inuzuka insignia stood out over the roofs and treetops. His emotions reacted instantaneously to the visual safety and danger his mother represented, her power to both keep safe and destroy him, and it was then he realized his nose had automatically sought out her scent. Thank God. She was home. _Home_. Relief swooped through him, stinging his eyes.

"Hey! There it is!" Shi said, pointing even as he bobbed dangerously on Akamaru's back. "Is she there? Can you tell?"

Kiba swallowed, half-excited, but mostly terrified, of facing Mom again. "Yeah. Just lemme do the explainin'."

Together, he and Akamaru leapt into the backyard, closest to the location of Mom's scent in the house, and he had barely set Yukari on her feet when the sliding doors to the back slammed open.

His mother, hair wild, mouth firm, shoulders straight. Their gaze connected. It felt like he hadn't seen her in years. She was a couple feet away from him, but the distance seemed further.

A cigarette hung from the corner of her mouth. Mom took a long drag and smirked. "'bout damn time you showed up, shorty-pants."

And then he was crushed by her aggressive mega-hug, smothered in kisses all over, and choked by the smell of acrid smoke and ash.

"_Mom!_" He laughed, definitely embarrassed and happy-bordering-on-tears when she rubbed her nose on his, "You were worried about me?"

"What kinda mom would I be if I wasn't? You know I only smoke-"

"-when yer worried or anxious," he finished in tandem with her. "Yeah, I know."

_Damn_, he was so happy to see her, wanted to extend this moment, but duty called. He gestured to the Nakamuras. "Mom, you remember Yukari? And this is her brother, Shi. Mom," he said, unable to stop saying her name, "we've got problems."

Mom flicked away the cigarette, serious. "I thought as much. Start explainin'."

"It's complicated. But the short of it is that _she's _pregnant," a nod to Yukari, "and Ino and Kai are captives. If I don't get yer signature on some documents, they both die at eight sharp."

"You've caught a shinobi, haven't you," she said to Yukari, who could not meet her eyes. "What does that Yamanaka girl and this…_Kai…_have anything do with it?"

"Mom"- -Oh, God, he really didn't want to go into this so abruptly, but time _mattered_- -"I love Ino. Yukari's mother is using her as leverage to ensure that I marry Yukari. Yukari's actually pregnant by Kai."

Her eyes narrowed and she growled. "We talkin' about the same Yamanaka princess, here? And you _love _her? That's a loaded word yer usin' lightly for just sex."

"It's _not '_just sex'," he told her, tensing from her skepticism. "I love her. There's no other word." She paused, calculating, and Kiba grabbed her arm. "Look, we really don't have time to argue about this. Can it wait?"

Mom nodded with agreement. "Fine. This'll keep til later. Lemme see the documents."

He slipped them out of the inner-pocket and handed them over, watching as she scrutinized them. Something about her changed…no, not something, but the subtle shift in her scent blared warning bells in the back of his mind. She was gonna do something she knew he'd hate.

"Mom?" He reached out, going for the papers in her hands.

Mom acted too quickly. She shredded the sheets with judicious application of teeth and claws, the documents to save Ino's life no more than confetti littered on the grass. A strangled gasp from behind.

Shi charged her. "WHY YOU-!" But Mom sidestepped him, cuffing him in the process, and he careened into some bushes, sputtering.

Kiba was too shocked and sickened to move, wanted to scream and pound her into the dust, and to control the borderline murderous impulse, he closed his eyes as she rested her forehead against his. Her contact calmed him.

"You know as well as me," she said, softly, "that signing those papers wasn't gonna save them. That was a trap."

He'd known that. He'd known that, and yet he still had wanted to believe a simple signature would save Ino's life. Forcing down all the thoughts that urged him to _do something_, _there wasn't time!,_ he opened his eyes and saw his own determination matched in his mother's eyes.

"We hafta hurry," he whispered, "and Roach's probably holed up outside the village somewhere, at least forty minutes to an hour out of range. We won't get there in time."

A part of his brain piped up- -intruders!- -and he lifted his head. Three scents had flooded his nose, two he sort of recognized, the other Inoichi.

"Master Inoichi! Tohru, Hisa!"

Shi's sudden shout drew Kiba's attention to the three shinobi, now hopping off the roof to gather with them on the yard. Shi and the other two genins greeted each other excitedly.

"Can we join the party?" Inoichi said, with a wry smile. Those knowing eyes landed on Kiba, put him on edge. "Or are we too late?"

Mom chuckled. "Right on time, per usual." Her hand squeezed Kiba's shoulder. "You up-to-date on the situation, Yamanaka?"

"I haven't seen Ino since yesterday. I assume the worst has happened, since I haven't been able to contact her telepathically. I collected my genins and came as fast as I could here, thinking you'd know more about what's going on."

"Just found out myself," Mom answered. "Kiba?"

He withdrew the two photos from his pocket and handed them to Inoichi, who took one look at them and scowled. Briefly Kiba reiterated the issue at hand- -Ino and civilian in danger, signature needed- -and glanced to check on Yukari. She had rested her hands on Shi's shoulders. Her color had not returned.

Inoichi grunted. "Hn. Early this week, Roach scouted a location, east-southeast from the village where there is a ruined farmhouse. I wondered what he'd wanted with a place so far away. Might be where he's keeping Ino and Kai."

"What do we do about the time constraint?" Kiba asked. "We're down to fifteen minutes, here, and we're not _doing _anything!"

"Use a transformation jutsu," Inoichi said to Kiba, "to hand Nakamura false papers since it looks like the originals are unavailable. You should be able to delay her long enough."

"We need to send word to the Hokage," Mom said. "The genins could do that and then return to guard Yukari, just in case. She'll be safe here at the compound until they return." She smirked at Inoichi, then, cracking her knuckles, "You, me'n'Kuromaru'll go for Roach."

The pace of the conversation almost went too fast. "Hey, wait a second," Kiba said. "I'm not gonna be sidetracked here while you have all the fun. Mom, take me'n'Akamaru with you!"

"Hmph. Three _jounin _are more than enough for scum like Roach," she told him, ruffling his hair. "Don't worry yer pretty lil' head."

He balked at her dismissal of him, her blatant referral to rank. "Inoichi can use a transformation jutsu and whatever mind-technique he has to better delay Nakamura! He's the obvious choice for the deception. The genins can handle the Hokage!"

Kiba looked to Inoichi for confirmation, but Inoichi remained neutral, his mouth a grim line. The genins shifted restlessly, and Akamaru and Kuromaru waited patiently for the argument to resolve. He was on his own.

"Don't you dare argue with _me_," she said, a displeasured growl low in her throat. "I'm not lettin' you anywhere near Roach. _You'll_ delay Nakamura."

Anger flashed through him, and he couldn't stand around and let that fucker Roach get away with touching Ino. To hell with reason. Matching her feral growl, he grabbed his mother by the flak jacket and got right in her face.

Harsh words leapt out without a filter. "_I'm not fucking around while the mother of my children is in danger!_"

Silence. Stares. He'd revealed his heart, there was no backing down, no taking it back, and he wouldn't even if he could. He'd spoken the truth imprinted on his soul. Mom's scent had sunk with a laden emotion Kiba didn't recognize, but her face fit the picture of fury. He released her.

Turning from the disbelieving faces, swallowing hard, he said, "Akamaru, we're going. You guys do what you hafta do."

Without waiting for their assent, Kiba hopped on Akamaru, who crouched and leapt to the compound's roof in one fluid movement.

_Well, _Akamaru sighed as he galloped, _that was certainly…_interesting. _The mother of your children? Was that necessary?_

"Shut up. There wasn't time to let them push me around."

Akamaru snorted. _You don't have to be a hero. Tsume, Kuromaru, and Inoichi could've handled Roach._

"Akamaru, I'm gonna protect Ino even if I die doing it and I _ain't _gonna be left outta the fight. Got it?"

His nose told him his mother and Kuromaru were trying to catch up and that the genins and Inoichi were fast moving in the opposite direction, and Yukari remained stationary. It seemed his suggestion had won after all.

_Yeah, yeah, _Akamaru agreed, not sounding too pleased,_ got it._

"OY! SON!" Mom's call slowed Akamaru's gait so that she and Kuromaru could match pace and then side-by-side they hauled ass over the roofs. As fit as ever, Mom easily kept up with Akamaru's mad dash. "Shoulda known you'd get all het up over a lover. You gotta keep yer cool, kiddo, 'cause it's just you'n'me'n'our mutts out there."

"Not true," Kiba answered, glancing over to catch his mother's eye, "Ino'll be able to fight."

She grinned at him. "Think so? Sure that Yamanaka girl won't cry over a broken nail?"

"Tch. You hear some of the crazy shit those Yamanakas can do? Ino's the craziest of 'em _all_."

"Shorty, you have _no _idea…I've _seen _their crazy shit. Those mind-fuckers are scary as all hell."

They laughed, and they let their encouraging banter quiet in favor of distinct focus and the millions of questions that jammed through Kiba's head. They approached Konoha's protective wall at top speed, clearing it with ease bred of training and animal grace. The surrounding country was thick with trees and the Inuzukas used the landscape to their full advantage.

Almost immediately, Kiba's fully amped nose detected Ino's scent clinging to the forest air and a faint, but distinct, point of origin dead-ahead. Roach had definitely carried her a distance that could not be covered easily in less than a half-hour.

"We're on the right track, Mom, but we're far away," he said. "I hope Inoichi's delayin' Nakamura."

She chuckled. "We'll get there on time. Have some faith in us old farts."

Faith's not the issue, he thought. Time was. Time that had been wasted negotiating with Nakamura, time that had been wasted dealing with Mom and her doubt, and the planning.

Argh, he hated plans, was a full-throttle, no-holds-barred kick-in-yer-face type of fighter. Shino was a huge advocate of planning, always admonishing Kiba for not thinking ahead and setting traps as befitting of a shinobi. Hmph. Did thinking ahead to clawing out Roach's fucking throat count?

Refusing to let his mind wander, he concentrated on Ino's scent. She and Kai were alive, at least. He discerned the chemical pinpricks of cockroaches, trails that zigzagged, were thicker and nearly transparent in some instances. They'd been crawling all over the forest and had flown some.

Opening his mouth, he let those scents into the back of his throat. _There _it was- -the scent that wasn't a scent. Kinda hard to describe. What his nose couldn't filter, his glands could, a taste of vaguely decayed human flesh, replete with the dull odor of chemicals…_Roach's _scent.

He smirked. "Gotcha, you sonavabitch."

Not long after, the forest cleared into fallow fields with an even coating of wild grass and infant trees. A large stone and wooden farmhouse stood in ruins in the middle of the open land. The farmhouse was long and was a couple of stories high, the outer walls still intact, but the roof was gone or collapsed. Ino's and Kai's distressed scents were on opposite ends from the other inside the farmhouse.

"It's a trap," Mom growled when they stopped to observe on a tree branch. "My hair's up."

His sentiments exactly.

Kiba brought his fingers up in concentration and breathed deep, cycling the air through his nose and opening the cavity in his throat, pulling scents to his glands. A small collection of cockroaches were in the rafters of the farmhouse. Roach wasn't inside the ruins but was holed up somewhere nearby.

"That fuckin' coward," he said. "He's waitin' for us to make our rescue."

"Heh, then let's not keep 'im waiting. Akaumaru, Kuromaru, check the perimeter. Son, you'n'me'll hop up there and take a peek. Nice and slow, got it?"

He nodded. "Right."

They approached quickly and shot up the farmhouse to stand on the open rafters at the very top. Another level of rafters crossed underneath them and the inner walls of the farmhouse stood crumbling but overall whole. Ino dangled in the last room to their left; Kai in the last room on their right. Each had been bundled in rope and gagged. His eyes were drawn to what crisscrossed underneath them both…white tags on lines.

"See that?" Mom pointed to a rope that extended from one end of the farmhouse to the other, lengthwise. The rope had been stretched over the open rafters. "Wanna bet that's what's keeping Ino'n'Kai tied up?"

He saw the design of it. "Ino's weight balances out Kai's, so if she uses an escape jutsu, Kai falls."

"Heh, doesn't look like Roach made it easy on us. Lookit all those exploding tags."

"Hn." The layout of the trap looked like it could be circumvented from above. "We could pull them up using the ropes, but we'll hafta manage it together."

_Scritscritscrit_. Kiba cocked his head, senses clanging on full alert. _Scritscritscrit._

"Didja hear it too?" Mom asked.

His nose differentiated a chemical reaction, picked up two groups of roaches on the beams from which Ino and Kai dangled by their shared rope. A horrid thought occurred.

"_Mom…!_"

No more time.

Diving in the direction he faced, he aimed headlong for the rope the roaches chewed on, the rope, that if severed, would drop Kai into the dozens of exploding tags. There would be no surviving that.

With clarity he watched the rope unraveling, first one braid popping then another, another, heard the roaches chewing together…shitshitshitshit…can't go faster…not gonna make it…hand reached, time slowed…almost…there…

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**A/N: **Okay, guys, leave me your thoughts, concerns and comments! Chapter 24 is on schedule to be posted Sept. 4th. I'm so excited to write the next chapter, so I know it'll be AWESOME for you! See you then! =)


	24. Bring the Noise

**A/N: **Hi again, fellow readers. A very action-oriented chapter awaits you. I hope you enjoy. =)

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**Chapter XXIV: Bring the Noise**

His hand closed around the rope just as the last snapped thread whipped over the beam. It happened too fast, it happened in slow motion, and he hadn't expected to survive his free-fall dive. Now he clung to the wood's edge with one hand, dangling, with Kai swaying at the other end of the rope inches over the exploding tags below.

Now what?

Sweaty fingers felt slick on the wood. Kiba's instinct was to swing Kai to safety. Could he do it without lighting up the old farmhouse? Better not attempt that. Instead, he flexed his body, finding it easy with the adrenaline spiking his system, and pressed his feet flat on the wood. His chakra stuck him to the beam.

With both hands free, he hauled Kai up and as he calculated his next move, Akamaru hopped from the roof to the beam above him.

_Need some help?_ he asked, smirking.

"What do you think?" Kiba replied, tossing the excess rope up into Akamaru's mouth.

Akamaru held the rope between his teeth, allowing Kiba to flip onto the beam properly then heave Kai up the rest of the way. The guy looked wild, eyes wide and sweat streaking down his face. He'd been punched in the face a few times, bruises around his eyes and cheeks.

Kiba looked across to Akamaru. "Let's move out of range of this trap."

_Gotcha. By the way, _Akamaru growled, _Roach is still around outside, so we should find and distract him so the hostages can get away._

"Yeah. I have a feeling we'll be on _his _time, not ours."

No sooner had the words left his mouth when a telltale _scritscirtscrit_ing and the sudden charge of insect secretion warned Kiba of Roach's movement. He grabbed Kai by the bindings and jumped away, using the old wooden beams to propel out of the ruins. The scents of Mom, Ino, and Kuromaru were extremely close, _alive,_ but he couldn't see them.

Akamaru landed on the ground beside him. _Two clones…make that six. Four are…going after the others._

"Bastard." Kiba tossed Kai to the side; had to worry about him later as two Roaches dropped to the ground in front of him. "Hang back, stay near Kai. I'll take on these two."

_Kiba, that's-_

He'd already thrown up the signs, molded his chakra. Growling, "Shuddup and _do _it."

Akamaru transformed into Kiba's clone. He backed up out of Kiba's line of sight. Then Kiba slipped his hand into his hip-pouch, wedging shiruken between his fingers and palming a flashbomb. The Roaches had frozen, staring him down, and Kiba noticed the odd movement under both the clones' skin. Heard the frenetic writhing. Waiting.

A second later, Kiba snapped out the flashbomb and behind it, the shiruken. Closed his eyes when the bright light burst and yanked free a kunai. Both the clones had dashed forward. One ran face-first into the serious end of Kiba's kunai, melting into a discontented puddle of hissing insects. The other evaded a second slew of shiruken. He saw the clone's intent in racing away to attack Akamaru, who'd crouched defensively, readying for attack.

Kiba sprung again, the quicker of them, and intercepted Roach's clone. A lightning-fast storm of kunai slashes pushed the clone back, and unwilling to show mercy, Kiba executed a fast hit-and-slap…with one of his own exploding tags.

The tag blew as Kiba sprang back, covering his face. He avoided most of the fire. Felt the heat through his leather jacket, smelt the smoke, heard the pop of exoskeletons. When he judged himself clear of the thickest smoke, he glanced around, wary. From the exploding tag, a smattering of crisped, dead cockroaches spread on the ground. The other clone had not…combined? he guessed. Those roaches had scuttled off through the grass away from the fire and smoke, maybe to join with a larger group.

Danger had passed for them, but he did not drop the transformation jutsu on Akamaru. Quickly, he turned to slice off the ropes binding Kai. He helped the guy to his feet and steadied him when he stumbled, yanking off the gag.

"The village is that way," Kiba pointed, "so run as fast as you can in that direction. Others should be coming shortly. Don't look back."

Kai nodded, his face unnaturally blanched. When he didn't move, Kiba shoved him and said, "_Get goin', goddammit_!"

Without waiting to watch Kai's departure, Kiba gestured to Akamaru and they leapt into the trees for a shorter route to Ino and his mother. Tapping into the forest's scents, he found that Mom's and Kuromaru's scents remained stationary and Ino's came fast in his direction.

_Kiba…_

"Yeah, I know."

They shifted their path to intercept Ino. He hadn't thought about her, and now that he was going to see her, his heart insisted on punching through his chest. But why had Kuromaru and Mom not accompanied her? Worry dampened his fight-high, and Ino's anxious and panicked scent gave him good reason.

"_Kiba? Kiba, where are you?_" Ino's shout was up ahead.

"_We're here!_"

They met each other on a couple tree branches. Unable to stop himself, he jumped at her to get both arms around her shoulders. Her body slimmer than his, her strength understated, her presence needed.

"Oof!" His chest muffled her laugh. "I'm fine, I'm fine!"

"I'm glad yer alive," he told her hair. How was he going to _keep _her that way?

"Me, too. But we have to get going. Your Mom's hurt!"

Kiba let her go and twined his fingers in hers. Together with Akamaru trailing, they dashed over tree branches in the direction she'd come from, and Ino explained as they went, jumping and hopping in tandem.

"Roach set up a trap within a trap. When your mother grabbed my rope, she tripped a secondary trap, one with poisoned senbons. We were able to dispatch Roach's clones, but then she collapsed. Kiba," her pause brought his gaze to her worried eyes, "I can't neutralize the poison. The best we can do is finish with Roach quickly and get her back to Konoha."

"I see." Ino's silence was heavy; he understood what was wrong. "Ino, it's not yer fault. Roach was gonna get at you by whatever means necessary, you know?"

Her fingers tightened around his. "Yeah. But I shouldn't have gotten complacent."

"What's done is done. I figure Akamaru, Kuromaru, and I'll distract Roach while you get Mom outta here. Kai is already on his way back to the village."

"No, that's unacceptable." He'd known she'd fight him on that one, but he'd had to try. She continued, "Our best option is to use teamwork to take down Roach. I can go astral to hold him in place and _you _can land the killing blow."

_Yeah, but how're we gonna get close enough to make that happen?_

"Akamaru wants to know how-"

"That's easy," Ino said, interrupting him. "I'll use transformation jutsu to become you. Then you change Kuromaru into you, too. We'll use smoke to disorient Roach and get close enough. Genjutsu will further disorient him."

"Makes sense. He won't know who's who, so you'll be able to slip closer to him under cover of the smoke, mess him up with genjutsu, then use your mind-fucking to keep him from stopping or evading Piercing Fang."

Akamaru growled and barked. _How will we know when she's in his body?_

"We'll have to use a password," Kiba answered. They had come to Mom and Kuromaru below. Mom was propped against a tree trunk; Kuromaru stood watch, and his one eye tracked their trajectory. "Something that only we know."

"Do you mean for when I go astral?" Ino asked. An instant later, he saw her smirk. "Hey! I'll just use your pet name."

He sighed, but didn't argue. "Yeah, that's good."

_Heh, heh, heh_. No one_ should know something that embarrassing_, Akamaru added.

Then their conversation quieted when he, Ino, and Akamaru descended the branches to land in front of Kuromaru and Mom. Her eyes had narrowed, not closed completely, and her face had paled behind her red tribal marks. She smelt…weird, such a mixture of anxiety, sweat, and a funky _something_ Kiba couldn't identify.

"'Bout time you pups showed up_._" Kuromaru's ear twitched to the side then pointed forward. "What's the plan, kid?"

"Ino thinks she can use her Mind-Body Switch to hold Roach in place so we can eliminate him. We all become me, use smoke and genjutsu to distract him, and then _bam!_ Nail the fucker."

"Sounds good," Kuromaru replied. "Let's do it."

Kiba's nose had been carefully monitoring all scents in the surrounding forest. Roach was around, probably waiting for them to set their plan in motion, the cockroaches zigzagging in the air and on the ground. How courteous for him to allow them the time to strategize.

Mom's scent had been pretty steady, but now her respiration increased, and so did the hormones that tripped when the body was in stress. Mom's life-system was shutting down. Oh, God, _no._

"Mom? Mom, can you hear me?" Kiba knelt and leaned in to get closer to his mother's eyes. A lump of fear formed in his stomach. "Are you okay?"

Her hand snapped out to his jacket and yanked him closer. Snarling, she said, "I ain't dead yet. Now stop messin' around and get that asshole."

Ino's hand on his shoulder comforted him. "You heard the woman. Let's end this."

He stood, used the familiar signs and amount of chakra to transform Kuromaru into another one of him, and to the side, Ino transformed herself into him as well. Four of them, _one _of Roach. Kiba liked those odds.

"Kuromaru, you're on Ino. Me'n'Akamaru'll be a pair. We'll find Roach and assess the situation. Clear?"

All the Kibas nodded, then together, his team bounced to the trees. His fully-charged nose and glands found Roach's exact location and the signature chemical compositions of his thousands of insects. They were rotating in the air, a lazy tornado of scent-path over Roach's current position. The whole thing had a frequency, a sort of low hum to it that Kiba could hear.

Then several large chunks broke out of the tornado and ripped through forest toward them. Humming increased, became a vibration Kiba felt on his skin, the hair on his arms and neck stood on end.

"Guys, we're on. Classic Alpha formation," he said over his shoulder. "Bring the noise."

Ino and Kuromaru fell back to flank him and Akamaru. All his teammates had set faces, hormones on an even keel. They were ready for the loose clouds of insects that came swooping down on their heads. Kiba had already tossed a smoke bomb and ducked away as it detonated, pluming a thick coating of grey haze in the immediate area.

Several of the small swarms hesitated, then divided, angling toward each pair. He planted a few exploding tags and hopped out of range. The explosion consumed the insects, rocking the forest, and a second explosion echoed the first. Ino had dispatched the ones after her. But he detected a mass of roaches hovering over the canopy. Waiting. Again, groups separated from the larger whole and drove into the forest.

Dammit. If Roach kept sending out his insects in piecemeal fashion, he and Ino would run out of tags and bombs before even getting to Roach. So that was his game, was it?

_They just keep coming, _Akamaru growl-barked next to him. _We can't take them a little bit a time like this._

"Yeah, I know it."

Ino must've figured as much. She and Kuromaru had started to head in his direction, but the second wave of swarms had descended on them. More small clouds this time. He deployed another smoke bomb when several of the swarms neared; at the same time, Akamaru leapt up to the trees.

_Shit, _he heard Akamaru say, _they're not goin' for it. Piercing Fang might work if I use Dynamic Marking._

Kiba could tell. The insects had scattered outside the smoke, but now gathered together in a semi-solid mass in mid-air. Like they were setting up a trap.

"Mark 'em." Kiba put his fingers into the signs that would dispel the transformation jutsu on Akamaru. "We've got nothin' to lose."

_Roger._

Kiba dropped his shoulder, pushing off with his toes, and flung his body into the deadly spin for which his clan was known. He'd gotten up his rotation speed when a musky, pungent stream interrupted the air, so easily smelt it was like a visual marker. The stream splashed, marked many small targets. His Piercing Fang drilled into the roach-cloud. One pass was all it took to kill the scent.

Another stream, another target. Kiba shifted his direction, his world dark, the thunder of air in his ears, and hit the second target dead-on. Five more scent-targets, five more passes, until he rolled out of Piercing Fang, hands and feet dragging along the ground for traction. Two long tracks of upturned soil and torn grass resulted.

Akamaru landed next to him. _That's all there is for now. We should hide and plan our next move._

"He didn't expect us to survive that last attack." His nose told him Kuromaru and Ino were en-route to his position. "He's been keeping us apart on purpose."

_So as not to let us regroup, right._ Akamaru snorted. _This is just like when we fight Shino. Can't get close enough to land a hit 'cause of the bugs._

Kiba nodded and gestured at Akamaru to follow him into hiding. "With Shino, we respect his kikaichu and so don't actively attempt to kill them."

_That's true. Our methods against Roach can be much more destructive._

Before he could reply, Ino and Kuromaru dropped into the obscuring foliage next them. Ino had lost the transformation jutsu sometime during the fight. She planted her hands on her knees, panting. Sweat and grime coated her skin, and streaks of black ran across the purple outfit. Kuromaru smoked slightly. Both reeked of ash and fire.

"We have to destroy all the roaches at once," Ino said, huffing. She straightened. "It's the only way to get at Roach."

He couldn't help it- -he flicked the tail of her hair over her shoulder. "Hm-hm. But how do we do it?"

"Roach can't attack us with one bug at a time. He has to condense them for attacks."

"So you're saying we need to condense _all_ the insects he has and destroy them in one go."

She nodded, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Once we've done that, actually _getting _to him should prove to be easy."

"We have to take into account the possibility that the target could summon more insects," Kuromaru said. "And that could fuck up our day."

Akamaru nodded. _Agreed._

"No, I don't think it's possible to summon another generation of insects," Kiba said, checking with his nose and glands that overcast of insects above the treetops. It remained whole, but he could sense it wouldn't for long. "Shino has to actively use a jutsu to create a large number of insects at once and it drains him."

_Also, Shino's insects have an accelerated lifespan of only a few hours, _Akamaru pointed out._ I think that roaches are different._

"What's going on?" Ino asked, eyes shifting between them. "I don't feel like we have a lot of time to piss around here."

"We're trying to decide if it's worth it to try and destroy a whole generation of roaches."

"If you mean lifespan, roaches take several days to produce something like twelve or sixteen eggs, and then _months _to become adults." She swiped her bangs when he and the dogs stared at her. "What? You didn't think I wouldn't try to find out as much as possible about our opponent?"

Akamaru let out a breath. _Okay, so killing even one roach makes it hard to fill the ranks._

"Right. Roaches can't instantaneously multiply," Kiba agreed. "Ino, do you think you can-"

"Mind-swap with him and draw out all the roaches into a single mass?" she interrupted. After a pause, "Yeah, but it's risky."

"'Cause you need at least three seconds for the jutsu to work. I remember," he said, when her eyes questioned him. "Me'n'Akamaru can burrow under ground, then grab 'im. You be ready to perform yer jutsu when we do. Kuromaru will run interference so you can focus on gettin' it right."

"Roger," she said, and then twisted her fingers together. After a poof, she became him again. "Just be sure to hold him still, or I'll miss my mark."

Kiba re-transformed Kuromaru, leaving Akamaru as he was. "Course we will."

A moment's pause. His love for her rose up, stunning and awesome, pushing against the walls of his chest, and before he could think too much about it, he closed the distance between them and settled his mouth on his/hers. He- -_she_ stilled, surprised.

He ignored the surreal feeling of kissing an image of himself by closing his eyes and pulling Ino's scent through his nostrils to his brain. Hormones and arousal stirred, a slow heat pooled under his stomach as his tongue curved around hers, his hand on the nape of her neck.

Maybe this would be their last kiss. The possibility wasn't totally beyond him. He angled the kiss deeper, their teeth clicking together. She must've thought the same because she didn't resist him or push him and tell him to get his head back in the fight.

Something dangerous flickered in the shadows of his mind, the predator that toed the edge of ethics and sound judgment. It wanted to tear Ino from this dangerous place and lock her up where no one would reach her, where no one would hurt her or try to kill her. It wanted Ino to itself.

_Okay, that's enough, _Akamaru said, and Kiba felt the light clamp of teeth on his arm. _It's disturbing watching you kiss yourself._

His companion's perturbed tone, coupled with the touch, broke the moment. He lingered a second longer on Ino's mouth, then stepped back, shaking off the distracting thoughts. A pink flush had spread across his cheeks and nose- -Ino's blush on his face.

"Let's do this." He turned to Akamaru and Kuromaru. "Ready?"

_Roger, _they told him in tandem. A glance at Ino confirmed her readiness.

As a single unit, they charged forward. Kiba had long since pinpointed Roach's position, and apparently, Roach had pinpointed their position as well. Several swarms dropped from the mass at their flurry of movement, but Kiba and his team avoided the swarms neatly, speeding over tree limbs.

They were there at once when the trees ended abruptly at another disused field. Right smack in the middle stood Roach, fingers molded for concentration. That utter arrogance, like 'come and get me', Roach exuded, seeped anger through Kiba. Roach underestimated them.

Ino and Kuromaru split off as he and Akamaru twisted into Dual Piercing Fang, aiming in Roach's general direction. Chemicals in the air shifted; Roach was attempting to stop Dual Piercing Fang with a wall of insects. Kiba felt the density of the cockroaches, heard _thwapping _as his spinning body collided with thousands of insects.

Kiba shifted his spin to block oncoming attacks so that Akamaru could use Dynamic Marking. The hole Kiba drilled through the defense allowed Akamaru to mark Roach. Taking a risk, Kiba dropped out of Piercing Fang, but just as quickly, the cockroaches clumped together and flew after them.

He and Akamaru had to dodge back, avoiding the hissing, writhing human-sized mass. Roach hadn't bothered to put the cockroaches into clone-form. Instead, the masses drove both him and Akamaru to the edges of the field with precise, powerful attacks. There was no time to jump into Piercing Fang.

Then in the middle of deflecting an attack, Kiba detected another shift in chemicals. The force of insects reared back. Through the semi-solid veil, Roach's fingers were forming more seals. Kiba had a bad feeling.

_He's working up a huge amount of chakra, _Akamaru warned from the side. _Seems like he's gonna throw down some serious jutsu._

"We gotta get at him." Ino and Kuromaru had taken up a position at the edge of the field. They waited for their opportunity. "Roach must be plannin' on taking us out all at once."

_We can't let that happen. Use your last smoke bomb as I distract him with Piercing Fang. We'll come up from underneath and take him then._

"Roger."

Akamaru dove into another Piercing Fang, a cyclone of dangerous animal headed straight for Roach. Kiba chucked the last smoke bomb as hard as he could, then before it detonated, charged up the chakra in his feet and leapt as high up in the air as he could. He easily cleared the highest treetops surrounding the field and at the apex of his leap, arched his body and flipped into Piercing Fang.

The smoke bomb went off. He sensed the ground, hit it with all the force he could muster, and sank into the earth like a hot knife through butter. Even with hundreds of feet of soil between him and Roach, Akamaru's mark blared out to his nose. Roach moved around, a jittery butterfly, but came to a rest some distance off.

Kiba angled into a gentle upward curve. The earth churned around him, Roach's scent remained stationary, unsuspecting- -closer, closer, he could take out Roach with just this move- -and when Kiba popped out of the crusty ground, Roach proved little resistance to an angry Inuzuka's whole-body blender.

Smoothly, Kiba slipped out of Piercing Fang, his triumph lasting a second before evaporating. The scent of Dynamic Marking had relocated. Shit. Roach had eluded with a substitution jutsu. Kiba couldn't see him, but he smelt him hiding in the farmhouse.

_He got off the jutsu, _Akamaru said. _This is bad._

Humming. _Loud _humming. The sky went dark as cockroaches morphed into a solid wave blocking the sun with their form. As a single, fluid unit, the cockroaches crashed down on the field, spilling like a black, shiny film over the green. They spread out the breadth of the field, flowing like water, seeking out the nooks and crannies of the surrounding area.

_Dual Piercing Fang! _Akamaru barked, shoving Kiba with his head.

Together they spun, mowing through the ocean of roaches in the direction of the farmhouse. The Dynamic Marking hadn't faded, so Kiba knew they could flush Roach from hiding.

Then Ino's scent suddenly moved in a direct line to Roach's position. Scents converged. Barking, a hoarse shout, then the ozone of chakra. He broke from Piercing Fang, feeling Roach's jutsu fail, and slipped across a blanket of cockroaches on the field.

Akamaru slid to a stop next to him. _What…the hell?_

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**A/N:** I apologize that this was a shortish chapter. I really didn't want to make it too long, so I chose to split it up. More awesomeness awaits in the next chapter, to be posted Sept. 18th. See you then!

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_Revised 09/04/10: _Thanks to Leiaah for letting me know Kuromaru actually _does _talk.


	25. Finishing the Fight

**A/N: **At last! The chapter is finished. I apologize for the lateness- -I got this out as soon as I could. Please, enjoy! =)

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**Chapter XXV: Finishing the Fight**

The cockroaches fell from the sky like snow, plopping on their comrades' backs without moving. _None _of the insects moved. They had piled up ankle-deep over the entire field. The humming had ceased, and a strange silence coated them after all the noise.

"I think…Ino pulled off the switch," Kiba said to Akamaru. He lifted his foot and experimentally stepped. The cockroach bodies crunched underfoot. "Gross. We'd better check on her'n'Kuromaru."

_Roger._

Together they crunched over to the farmhouse. Roach's scent was…different. He was moving. Ino's scent didn't move, but Kuromaru's did. Then both Kuromaru and Roach hopped over the farmhouse wall and landed in front of them. Kiba crouched defensively, prepping an attack. Beside him, Akamaru growled, suspicious.

"Hey, Kibbers," Roach said, oddly cheerful. He held up a syringe filled with violet liquid. "And here's an antidote for your mother!"

Bizarre didn't quite describe what Kiba felt when he recognized Ino in Roach. Not that Roach looked anything like her, but his presence was hers, the way his eyes took Kiba in- -all of it was completely Ino.

Roach/Ino stepped around him and slowly, Kiba followed. "How did you…?"

"I was able to scan his recent memories, and I found what I was looking for," he answered.

"Oh. Cool."

He watched as Roach/Ino crouched in front of Mom, who'd slumped over, and rolled up her sleeve past her elbow. Several seconds spent finding a vein and swabbing the area, then the syringe sunk in the white skin, a purple tinge spreading out as the antidote entered the bloodstream.

"There," Roach said, setting aside the syringe and standing. "She should come around in a few minutes."

Kiba, unsure, rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, what now? Should I just…stab you or something?"

"No, that would kill _me,_" Roach glared over his shoulder and it was like actually _seeing _Ino, "there's the possibility that when I release the mind jutsu, Roach will evade your attack."

_I see, now. Whatever happens to Roach's body as Ino possesses it, will happen to Ino's body. Killing Roach when she's inside him will kill her, _Akamaru said. _We have to time it so that she's out of his body before we attack him._

"Great." Kiba eyed the thick frosting of cockroaches over the field. "How?"

"We disarm him first," Roach stripped off the flak jacket, thigh holster, and hip-pouch, handing them to Kiba, "and destroy his best means of defense. Use what's in his pouch to replenish your own supplies."

Inside the hip-pouch, he found more exploding tags, smoke bombs and flash-bombs, plus a few poisoned senbons, the whole collection untouched. He put these into his own hip-pouch, dumping the empty one to the side.

"How do you plan on 'disarming' this guy?"

"Watch and learn," Roach answered, fingers flipping into several signs. "I'll bring together all the cockroaches. His jutsu will take time to complete, so collect those exploding tags from inside. We'll use them to destroy the insects."

He could not find fault in her logic. Roach's fingers twisted, forming seal after seal after seal, and the hairs stood on the back of his neck. The chakra felt massive. After this hesitation, Kiba hopped into the farmhouse. He examined the lines of tags, seeing the best angle of approach was from the roof.

The tags were set to go off when even one was activated, so he needed to be vigilant and careful. He plucked one line, wiggling out the kunai that had been used to anchor the twine, and steadily pulled it hand-over-fist. Loops of the tagged line coiled as several minutes passed.

His ears had picked up a hum, and a shadow crossed over the sun. Ino must be using Roach's chakra to pack together the roaches. How much time had passed since the genins had reached Lady Hokage? And how much time until backup arrived? Who would it be?

_KIBA! GET YER ASS OUT HERE!_

Akamaru's shout jolted him from his anxious thoughts. Sounded…panicked. He left the coil of tags and twine to rush outside.

The swarm of roaches hung in the air, and he noticed that they flew lazily, dropping and swooping like they'd been doped up. A dense, black roach-globe hovered over the ground, big enough to comfortably fit five or six people inside. The humming was a low throb in Kiba's ears.

Roach/Ino stood in the middle of it all, eyes squinted in concentration, sweat rolling down his forehead. Akamaru sat on guard, sniffing, while Kuromaru watched over Mom. She'd not moved.

"What's the problem?" Kiba asked.

Akamaru looked at Kiba. _She's…fading. It may be that Ino'll lose control of Roach. Do you have the tags ready yet?_

"No, I'll hurry it up."

_Do that._

Quickly, he returned to the coil of exploding tags and pulled them free as rapidly as he could without blowing himself up. A few times, a tag stuck to the wall or floor, scaring him, but none went off. The line of explosives in hand, Kiba returned and the ball of roaches had increased to the approximate size of a house.

"Hurry," Roach gasped. Ino's desperation came through, "I can't…hold it…"

"We're almost there," Kiba replied.

Akamaru's ears popped; his head tilted. _Use a kunai to weight the ends of the line. It'll make it easier to wrap the roaches._

"Gotcha."

Kiba did as Akamaru suggested, and found it simple to toss the kunai, attached to the line of tags, up and over the roaches. Then it was a matter of looping the line around and securing it. He backed away, Akamaru beside him.

Roach used another few signs, face contorted, and the humming crescendoed as the roach-ball climbed into the sky. It dipped, listing like a gutted ship would, and floated closer to them.

"Shit," he said, realizing that Ino was losing control. He shoved at Akamaru, who had frozen. "_Move it_!"

Akamaru took off, but Kiba's attention was on Mom. She'd still not revived and the explosion would most certainly envelope her. Immediately, he leapt to her, managed to sling her over his shoulder. Chased Kuromaru's tail through the trees. Away. Fast. They ran.

Didn't get far when a quiet hiss pierced the hum, and then a deafening series of explosions. Hot air pushed him off his feet; the trees shook, and he felt something large flying at him from behind.

Barely, he ducked a shattered tree. He somehow covered Mom's limp body with his own, as debris rained on them. Branches, burnt leaves, baked insect shells. Smoke burned his eyes, clogged his sinuses. Ringing in his ears muffled any sounds.

A howl- -Akamaru's signal for help. _Shit._ Came from the farmhouse. Kiba sprinted back the way they'd escaped. Closer to the explosion, trunks and branches smoldered and outright burned. Huge holes remained where trees had been torn from the roots. The dry grass acted as tinder, and angry flames licked through the fallow field.

Barking drew his attention. He headed towards it, the smoke swirling around him, and came to the ruined farmhouse. Two figures- -Ino and Roach- -fought, a kunai glinting in Ino's hand, both of them ducking and weaving, arms and legs swinging out for hits. A white blur bounced across the wooden beams. Roach neatly dodged, flipping backwards as Akamaru flew past.

"That wasn't very nice to peek at my private memories," Roach said to Ino. "Now you'll have to die."

Before Kiba could jump into the fray, Roach molded a jutsu. His chest swelled out and clear liquid spewed from his mouth. Whatever the liquid landed on hissed. The stones on the farmhouse dissolved under the splatters. Ino had darted back, using substitution jutsu, and as Roach watched Ino's image melt from the acid, Kiba moved in, hand on a kunai.

He'd taken Roach by surprise, but Roach was quick enough to avoid a fatal slash to his throat. Kiba used the moment to his advantage and transformed Akamaru into a clone of himself.

Roach chuckled. "Same old, same old." When Roach bit his finger and traced a bloody line down his forearm, Kiba's stomach dropped. "We're going to play by different rules."

Roach planted a palm on the wooden beam underneath his feet. Summoning smoke mingled with fire smoke. A breeze lifted the grey/white screen. A dozen shiny black cockroaches surrounded them. The size of them reminded Kiba of Chouji when he puffed up to do his death-roll of doom. Each scuttled back and forth, their chemicals musky and excited. This was all kinds of bad.

Kiba snarled, felt Akamaru tense beside him. They had to let Roach make the first move with those summonings. Ino's scent shifted, threading through the farmhouse where she'd hidden. What did she have planned?

Roach's fingers had not stopped shifting signs. The jutsu activated and a nasty-looking sword sprang from seemingly nothing. Then Roach gestured with his hand, the other locking around the hilt of the sword.

"Bring me the Yamanaka girl. Kill the others."

As the giant cockroaches opened their wings to flap, humming vibrated the air, more powerful than all the regular-sized cockroaches put together. But three paused. Hesitating. Kiba glanced to the top beams of the farmhouse, where Ino's scent had stopped. Saw her, her hands and fingers forming a square sign. The roaches shivered. Roach gasped, almost imperceptible, but Kiba knew he'd go after her.

Chaos ensued.

Three of the roaches turned toward their comrades and spewed that liquid acid Roach'd used before. Horrible, high screeching as the acid splashed on exoskeletons.

There was no time to watch. Roach had Ino in his sights. Just as Kiba leapt into Piercing Fang to distract Roach, thunder rumbled through the ground. His concentration on Roach didn't waver, but he wondered what the hell it was.

Piercing Fang successfully drove Roach away from Ino's vulnerable position. Kiba eased out of the spin, but Roach's sudden proximity forced him to twist. The sword missed him. A glancing blow caught his shoulder and threw him off balance. Hurt, not badly. Kiba landed on his feet, eyes on Roach's retreating figure, and chased after him.

Akamaru cut off Roach's approach to Ino. A quick slash with the sword had Akamaru ducking. It was enough to allow Kiba to catch up and attack. The sword clanged against kunai. Each way Roach moved, Kiba was there, and soon, Akamaru had him flanked. Crashing in the forest behind them indicated a huge fight there, but Kiba kept his eyes on the target.

Roach was a skilled swordsman. Each feint, each lunge, Roach deflected. Aggressively, Kiba pushed forward, but his impatience cost him. A swift kick in the gut knocked him back. Akamaru jumped between them, catching the sword blade with a kunai to give Kiba enough time to gain his feet.

Quick to recover, Kiba bounded up and dove to attack. But something massive blindsided him. The weight crushed his arm into his side, cracking ribs. Pain burst fireworks in his eyes. Dazed, he shook his head, tasted blood on his tongue. A tree trunk had stopped him.

"Hah!" Roach grunted, freeing himself from Akamaru's hold. He sprang up to stand on the back of a second summoned cockroach. "Your pretty lady is a goner!"

The other summoning swooped down, forcing Akamaru to evade into the forest. It skimmed over the ground in pursuit, branches snapping as it barreled through. They disappeared among the trees.

Kiba's brain couldn't process what to do: save Ino or save Akamaru?

Akamaru could move freely, but Ino was in the middle of a jutsu- -she'd have to break her concentration, and that would turn the odds in Roach's favor. Akamaru could take care of himself.

Kiba ignored the throbbing pain, used the tree trunk as support to stand. He dashed after Roach. The summoning flew swiftly, weaving between trees. Kiba kept his eyes up and utilized peripheral vision to watch his feet.

As he ran over tree limbs, he identified Mom's scent moving up ahead. She must've gained consciousness and enough strength to join the fight. Kuromaru's scent was on top of Ino's, so Kiba guessed that the old dog was running interference on any approaching enemies.

At least four of the roaches seemed to have been downed, but it was difficult to tell with all the smoke and acid ruining his nose. His attention should have been on Roach. What saved him was a weakened tree limb.

He just stepped on the branch. It gave with a _crack_; at the same time he fell, a stream of acid dissolved the wood and leaves where he'd been. Reactively, he lifted his arm to protect his face. Some acid splattered on him, was burning holes through the leather. Shedding his jacket had never taken less time before.

Didn't give it a second thought. Roach and the summoning had disappeared up ahead. Kiba pushed himself faster, feeling the ache of exertion, the sweat cooling in the shadowed reaches of the forest. Heart rapped against his chest. He came to the edge of the burnt, smoldering field. The farmhouse was the center of frantic melee action.

Mom was in Piercing Fang-mode, chasing after a summoning through the air. Kuromaru was teeth-deep in the head of another one. Ino's blonde hair shone like light to him. She'd remained atop the highest beam, hands still molded in a seal, forcing two summonings to fight each other.

Even from this distance, layered over with smoke and blood and acid, he could scent her exhaustion. She wasn't gonna be able to fight much longer.

Ignoring the danger of crossing open field, Kiba charged ahead. Roach had made a beeline to the farmhouse, but the huge summoning circled around overhead. Why was he waiting?

And then Kiba remembered the second room filled to the brim with exploding tags. _Fuckfuckfuckfuck_. Anything would set those off!

"_INO, GET AWAY!"_ he bellowed, but there was too much noise.

Fear sliced coldly through him. Faster. Run _faster_. He wouldn't make it in time. Mom and Kuromaru had their hands full, no one could intervene. Goddammit, _goddammit!_

Roach had sheathed the sword and had something in his hand- -couldn't see what it was- -he tossed it. The object slowly arched toward Ino; her concentration was absolute.

Oh, God, no, she didn't see it. "_INOOOOO!_ _INO!_"

A silver blur…Akamaru?

An explosion rocked the field. The orange-yellow heat blinded him, and he vaguely heard successive booms on the heels of the first. Heat rolled over him. All he could smell was the smoke, the ash, the taste of it sticking in his throat. A pile of rubble was all that remained of the farmhouse.

It _had _been Akamaru, Kiba's brain told him. He'd been closest and he'd taken the hit to protect Ino. But the explosion…had been too huge. Surviving it would be slim, at best. He'd kissed Ino for the last time minutes ago. Heard her voice, _touched_ her. Now she and his best friend were gone forever. His love screamed, writhed in agony inside him, thrashed at the confines of his heart.

And something…collapsed inside. Detached, he watched his fingers and claws stretch and sharpen, felt his teeth elongate. A chill crept through his bones, put out the fires of pain and absolute fury. With the chill, Kiba felt the buzz of chakra, an amount he'd never felt before, and some…type of knowing, like how he knew which way was up, what time it was, and when there was danger.

This knowing was ancient. Deep. Almost primitive. Like if he went looking for it he'd never find it; he had to stumble on it first. Kiba allowed the knowing to take over because the knowing had no emotion. It didn't feel, and not feeling was exactly what Kiba needed.

But it wanted. Oh, but it wanted. It wanted the blood of his mate's murderer. It wanted to toy with the mate's murderer.

The prey circled overhead riding his insect like a king. All the information Kiba had of the prey gathered together. His mate had been right- -strip the prey of all defenses and he will be left with nothing. Then when the prey had nothing, exact revenge.

Below on the field, the mother and her companion had killed two more of the summoned cockroaches. One cockroach lay twitching and debilitated, the other was scattered in the field in pieces. A third cockroach had been cannibalized; it, too, was dead.

Four summonings remained. One on which the prey rode, one near the farmhouse, and two that had burrowed underground to hide and wait. Attacking the prey outright would only result in him flying higher, out of reach. Three options were available. One, keep all the summonings grounded. Two, force all summonings to the air. Three, force the prey into exhaustion and thus dispel the summonings.

The mother and her companion approached him. Heads down, eyes on the ground, showing submission. To look him in the eye would provoke punishment. He was stronger than them both.

"What do you want us to do?" she asked.

The information so far led him to believe that the prey would use his summonings defensively and offensively. By forcing the prey to command all the summonings to the air left him open to attack.

"We lure all summonings into the forest. Then we'll transform you into me," he said to the mother, "and you into one of the summonings," he said to the mother's companion. "The both of you will attack…_Roach_…head on. I'll ride one of the other summonings up."

The mother and her companion nodded. "Understood."

"You both drive the two roaches from underground and into the forest. I'll take care of the other. I'll meet you and we'll go from there."

The summoning near the farmhouse thundered toward them. His pack separated, his mother and her companion turning into dual cyclones to burrow underground. He dashed back into the treeline, easily keeping ahead of the frustrated giant cockroach.

It attacked him with acid, but he dodged. The other two cockroaches had been forced from the ground. Good. He leapt straight up, too fast for the summoning to follow, and flipped into Piercing Fang. The jutsu cracked the exoskeleton, but he didn't stop until he smelt earth. He broke from Piercing Fang, found himself in a hole. When he crested the lip, he discovered cockroach pieces flung all around. The liquid innards coated Kiba.

He didn't pause. A few seconds later, the mother and her companion met him, having escaped the sight of the other two summonings. Quickly, he used transformation jutsu on the companion and when the mother didn't have enough chakra, he transformed her as well. He could hold both the jutsus.

"Draw the other two to this position. I'll get on one when it passes over. Be sure to leave an exploding note on the last summoning."

They nodded and the mother hopped on the companion's back.

The transformed mother and companion took flight, wove between the trees. Disappeared. He waited patiently, listening to the quiet forest. Aching for the murderer's blood. Low vibrating warned him. The other two summonings approached. He readied, muscles tensing. Just before one passed over his location, he leapt. Chakra fastened him to the filthy underbelly of the cockroach.

If it noticed his presence, it didn't care. Treetops whipped by, and gradually the ground grew more distant. The prey's scent neared. The mother and her companion swung back and forth, evading the prey's puny attempts to destroy them. They closed in. He bided his time, fixing a long-fuse exploding tag under the cockroach's head.

Like he'd thought, the summoning swooped in close to the prey's fixed position. Kiba sprang. Landed softly behind the target. No noise. Used chakra to back up to the soft underside of the summoning. Stuck an exploding tag there. Crept, stalking, forward. The prey's attention was fixated on the image of Kiba on a cockroach.

His claws itched to slash. Closer. Closer. But a sudden swarm of movement under the prey's clothes stopped him. The prey spun, lashing out with the sword. Kiba strafed. Cockroaches had covered the prey's skin like a shield. The prey missed.

Using the mistake to his advantage, Kiba caught the wrist of the sword-arm in his teeth. Clamped down. Crunched through the hard shells of the insects. Torn cloth, skin, blood filled his mouth. Bone reached his teeth, was crushed. Happened so fast the prey didn't react right away. Kiba released the mangled wrist, retreated out of reach. The prey had lost his precious sword.

Relished the pain pouring through the scent of the prey. The blood flowing from the arm. Kiba felt something crawl on him. He snatched it between two fingers. A roach. It was easily crushed. A few others attempted to sneak on his body, but they were dispatched as well.

An explosion showered black gore over them. The mother and her companion had already destroyed the second to last cockroach and now they flew near. Kiba jumped to the fake summoning's back. As he suspected, the prey fled. Unsuspecting of the denotation note beneath his feet.

Another explosion a minute later. The back-end of the summoning burst, leaving the first half intact. It careened, surprisingly resilient with its guts hanging out. He watched the prey fall into the trees, stunned but largely unharmed. The chase was on.

He dove into the trees, landed on a branch, all fours to the wood. Chakra charged every limb, and he tore through the foliage to the hunt. The prey's blood called to him. He closed the distance in seconds. Found the prey limping. He reeked of fear, _cowardice._

"I know you're out there!" the prey called. Kiba crouched, letting the tall grass cover him. "That bitch of yours wasn't any better."

The prey hobbled. Kiba stalked closer. Blood dribbled from the wounded arm. Saliva formed in Kiba's mouth.

"You know what she did?" The prey swiveled his head. "That night you and Yukari went for your first date? _Hunh_?" A few more pathetic steps. "She was so _jealous, _she possessed some random guy's body and beat herself up!" He twisted frantically. "What kinda nutjob does that? It wasn't Yukari catching you," he continued, Kiba so close he saw the spittle fly from the prey's mouth, "it was that _Yamanaka_ who caught you!"

The prey's fatal last words. Kiba sprang into Piercing Fang so fast his heart stopped. He heard, rather than felt, the prey's body when he hit. He turned out of Piercing Fang a second later. Smoothly, he glided across the ground.

He knew he'd hit his mark. But to make sure, he stepped toward the dark blood pooled and splattered along the grass and trees. The scent was the prey's. A couple of empty boots, plus some gore at the point of impact was all that was left.

Kiba stared at the grisly scene, mildly displeased at the anticlimactic demise of the prey.

* * *

**A/N: **(July 7th) Corrected some continuity issues and am working on chapter 27.


	26. Aftermath

**A/N: **So, I'm back, finally, after an extended break. You won't _believe_ how stressed out I was. Bleh. Thankfully though, I'd been pecking away at this chapter, and I'm satisfied with it at last. I apologize for the delay, and I _know _I've said this before, but I AM FINISHING THIS STORY. I promise. For all you patient ones, I appreciate you waiting, and I hope you enjoy the read. =)

* * *

**Chapter XXVI: Aftermath**

The flick of pale, golden hair crossed his vision. Kiba's attention, having wandered, abruptly focused on Ino. She stood several feet away, looking at him. He found her eyes, lively, the blue dancing with depth in the sunlight. Her lush mouth moved. Her lips formed words, tongue rolling behind her white teeth.

I love you.

_Ino._

Her name was an emotion to him.

Sounds- -buzzing and quick, low voices. They were indistinguishable to his ears. A blinding light.

But behind her, a roiling darkness swelled. He reached out, tried to warn her, his throat stuck with the words while a cloud of grey ash consumed her, her loose hair fanning out before she disappeared, and he leapt forward into the unknown.

Where…where was she? Urgency. He had to…reach her. She needed him; he was driven to find her, protect her. The most basic, primal part of his blood howled, straining against the unseen force that kept him still.

A clear voice said, "Hold him! _Hold him, dammit_!"

Coughing, choking from heat and flakes of burnt paper. He'd seen her; he just seen her, where was she? But only miasma clouded his vision, clogged his airway, until he suffocated…

He struggled, tried to stumble his way free, but he kept tripping, couldn't move faster, the smoke had weight that oppressed him. Air, what happened to all the air? Couldn't…breathe…

"Kiba, Kiba, it's okay. You're safe." Hands on his face, a familiar voice in his ear. His frantic fear scrabbled around, trying to find purchase. "Wake up. Wake up, it's a dream. Just a dream."

Sterile hospital ceiling. His heart hammered in his chest. Breathing too hard; sweat soaked his face, back, legs. Twin triangles, dark brown hair. Oh. Hana. His sister's eyes were concerned, brows knitted. One hand stroked his forehead and her other hand gripped his. Waking had jarred him. He couldn't remember how he'd gotten to the hospital. Couldn't remember what'd happened to need treatment. He felt like…he should remember.

"Hana," he said, his voice gravelly, "Hana…"

She bowed forward to touch her forehead to his. "Good to see you awake, shorty-pants."

Speaking her name had forced him to expend a considerable amount of energy. Just breathing had become laborious. He felt an ache to his very bones. Felt too heavy.

Objects' edges weren't sharp, but had a blurred quality as though they'd been colored outside of the lines. A child's coloring book.

"Mom's under observation. She should be out today." Hana lifted her face. The colors on her face had blurred too. "Look, little brother, I'm…I have to tell you this."

She stopped then, and a horrible iciness shredded through Kiba's innards. His existence depended on what his sister said next. He _knew _this. Didn't know how, but he did. Oh, God. What had happened, and why couldn't he fucking remember?

Hana swallowed. "Ino is…and Akamaru, too…they're"- -her hand squeezed his, and all he could think, over and over, was _let it be, let it be, let it be, let_- -"alive."

A lump stuck in his throat. Relief, pressure behind his eyes. In a gasping breath, he managed, "Alive?" Exhausted again.

"Yes," Hana said. Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Alive. Akamaru's condition is serious, but he'll recover. Ino, though," she paused as a tear raced over her cheek, "Ino's unconscious. Lady Hokage examined her. She doesn't know when…"

Hana shook her head. "Sakura said that if Akamaru hadn't jumped in front of the explosion, Ino wouldn't have…she wouldn't have survived. And Akamaru…he shouldn't have survived, either. Ino used her last chakra reserves to heal Akamaru before she lost consciousness."

Too much. Too much information for a brain that had barely grasped consciousness. Too much palpitating emotion. His eyelids drooped. He closed them, if only for a moment. Just a quiet moment to…collect…him…self…

**- -N- -**

It must've been deep in the nighttime. A hush had fallen over the hospital. Beeping from the heart-monitor was rapid and erratic. His dry mouth, his cold sweat led him to believe he'd awoken from another nightmare.

He remembered seeing hundreds of white, sharp teeth sinking into a jugular. Ino's hair and eyes and blood. A lingering feeling of discontent, of anxiety, teased him. The ugly tiled ceiling of his room comforted him though it was cast in darkness. Awake as he was, he didn't want to think.

No one else was in the room with him. Sweat dripped into his eyes, so he lifted a hand to wipe his forehead. When he shifted, he winced. Muscles didn't like flexing, almost like they'd been stretched too far. Aching from _all_ his muscle mass drew his attention.

He dropped his arm as IV lines trailed the jerky movement. They had him on some serious drugs, yet, a low throb pulsed through his body. This felt like…growing pains, almost. His bones and muscles responding to a growth spurt. But the pain, he knew, could be much worse. Not so much that he recognized the stuff pumping through him, but he could feel the stiffness in his limbs, a cottony haze in his head. The smell of them.

Then the base scent of the hospital crept into his nose. Unwashed bodies, decaying flesh, blood, medicines. Nerves pinched in his forehead; he suppressed all his scent-based functions. He heard footsteps on linoleum, striding with purpose down the hallway. A medic, probably, doing her rounds. He didn't recognize the scent of her, and when she opened the door, she was a shadow against the bright backdrop of the hallway's fluorescent lights.

She crossed the dark room to check his fluids, and then she touched his shoulder with a gentle hand. He watched her in silence, letting his eyes follow her smooth movements.

"Kiba," she said, "are you in any pain? Our monitors picked up a sharp spike in your heart rate."

"No." Voice was creaky. A headache behind his eyes. "Sore."

He supposed she was used to a shinobi's high pain threshold, because she said, "Your blood pressure and core temperature suggest otherwise."

"I…didn't recognize the room, at first," he lied. "It's not pain."

Ignoring his statement, she pressed her hands on his chest. The buzz of chakra filled the quiet room, the glow of it flickered to life, and he felt the mild electricity as she pushed it into his body to check on his organs, bones, and muscles. In the dimness, he noticed the glint of pretty gold earrings dangling from her ears.

And the memory was a kick in the gut.

No. No, no, _no._ From somewhere hidden in his memory, Ino's earrings leapt to the forefront. He'd put them in his leather jacket, had touched them inside the pocket. Had gone to fight Roach to rescue her. Had been attacked with acid, had shed the jacket _with her earrings._

Kiba couldn't help the sudden shortness of breath. Now Ino's precious earrings were somewhere out there, maybe destroyed by acid. He had to find them. For her, he had to recover them.

"Whoa," the medic said, cutting off the chakra and stepping back, "what's wrong?"

He swallowed. "N-nothing. I just…thought of something."

"A flashback?"

"No"- -Kiba imagined them yanking him from the duty roster if he had psych issues- -"I forgot something that I just remembered."

She leaned in. "What was it?"

"My teammate's birthday is coming up. When will I be out?"

"A few days, at most." The medic went to the foot of his bed and unhooked a medical chart. "You were surprisingly unscathed from going head-to-head with a Class-A."

"Well, why the long stay?" Maybe he could escape and look for his jacket. If he was a low-level priority at the hospital, not a lot of staff would be paying attention to him. "It seems as though I'm in good health."

The medic re-hooked the chart. "Yes, that's true. But we should wait until morning to discuss your eventual release." She checked his fluid bags, fiddled with one, and satisfied, crossed the room to the door. "Get some sleep."

Not damn likely. He toyed briefly with the idea of yanking out the needles, and leaving this disgusting place to search for the earrings, but second thoughts had him discarding it. Mom would murder him for leaving the hospital without permission, and he didn't know for sure what had happened to the jacket. Someone could've picked it up. Or it could be right where he'd tossed it. He'd have to wait, maybe ask Mom or Hana to look for it.

_It wasn't Yukari catching you. It was that Yamanaka that caught you._

Roach's last words welled up from Kiba's hazy memory. He shuddered even though the room felt stuffy, close. Dammit.

Ino. She _had _remained vague when he'd asked about those injuries- -said she did what she had to, to protect her comrades. And she was capable of following through with self-inflicted physical violence. Hell, he'd done it himself when he'd been a genin. Roach hadn't been lying to save his life; he'd been telling the truth to hurt Kiba.

Kiba had no doubts that Ino had injured herself to protect _him_.

His rational side wanted to rage at her over being so stupid and stubborn. Wanted to rail against the manipulation. Why couldn't she have _told_ him her suspicions about Yukari? And had she planned to catch him from the start?

No, he realized, she'd been right. He'd have probably ignored her or argued with her or been scared away by her. Her only option, then, would be to intervene more aggressively, in a way he _couldn't _ignore, by possessing someone and pummeling her unconscious body. Her actions did not seem contrived to 'catch' him, but rather, to prevent him from being caught…and forever at the beck and call of someone who didn't love him.

Right, an inner voice sneered, because Ino wanted you for herself.

But he understood that. What wouldn't _he _do to protect her? She'd meant to protect him no matter the consequences, and paired with that blind protection, was blind trust and blind loyalty. Even if the self-inflicted wounds were intended to draw him in, she'd displayed such great openness and the deepest reciprocation of his feelings that he hardly felt it mattered.

Especially since- -as he let the dark thought open up, he resigned to the misery that was sure to follow. Especially since…he didn't deserve her. Stomach churning, he recognized himself as the dangerous, feral animal poised to clamp teeth around her heart and shred it. The very same animal that let him betray her in favor of Yukari.

Ah, there it was. What had been in his mind all along. A sharp, ragged pain jabbed through his chest. The unspeakable sin coiled in his mind, within striking distance of his soul. Strike it did, injecting cold, greasy guilt into his veins. He didn't deny it. He couldn't. The proof was in his memories, had been documented for his mother to sign. No matter that he'd thought the entire time of Ino- -had _believed_ it was Ino he was with- -or that he'd been half-conscious.

Fact was, plain and simple, he'd not been in control. The sick fucking animal had been in control; he felt it in his blood, in his mind, just under the surface, stalking, crouching in wait for the kill.

He'd had sex with a woman, _not _Ino, to whom he bound himself. And if it happened once, it could happen again. Like addiction, once was _never _enough, and regardless of his proclaimed willpower, of his omnipotent love, when the desperation crested, he couldn't trust himself to stay loyal, sexually, to Ino. Worse, if he slipped up when he was with Ino, she would be shattered. She'd put her faith and all her adoration into him, and if anything, the strength of those feelings would increase tenfold over time. He didn't think he could break her trust like that, ever.

Kiba breathed, accepting the revelation, his heart stuttering and rolling cold. Steady now. He kept his eyes on the tiled ceiling. Oh, God. Fingers clenched in the blanket. It would be better for her to find someone who could control those impulses, someone who wouldn't break her heart into countless, irreparable fragments. It would be better…for him to stay away from her.

**- -N- -**

The next day, Mom and Kuromaru visited. She'd pulled up a chair to his bed, and she leaned over him, touching under his eyes. "You look exhausted. Are you in pain?"

Her voice held a note of gentle concern that he wasn't used to hearing.

"No," he said. "No pain." No _visible _pain. Slivers of invisible, insidious ice dipped into his heart.

"Ah. That's good." A moment of silence. She patted Kuromaru's head resting on the edge of the bed. Her hands were nervous for a cigarette, probably. "Then what's eating you?"

"Ino. Akamaru."

His own honesty surprised him. He didn't think he wanted to talk about her to Mom, but it was out. When Mom's hand passed over his forehead, he sighed. He could tell she was considering how to broach the topic that had worn a path through his mind all night last night.

"Because they got hurt?"

His throat tightened, preventing him from forming an answer, and Mom seemed to understand.

She nodded. "It's okay, son. By the way," she reached down to a bag she'd brought, "I have something for you."

He watched as she lifted up his old leather jacket. At last. He'd been worried sick about it between agonizing over Akamaru and Ino. The pain backed off when he took the jacket from her, and he immediately dove his hand into the pockets. Two pokes to the pad of his finger. _There _they were! Ino's earrings. Relief welled up.

"Thank you," he said, rolling the earrings against the inside of the pocket. Acid splatters had marred the rich black, burning a spray of holes across the front and sleeves. "Where was it?"

"It was actually Inoichi who found it. He brought it to me, thinking you might want it for some reason."

"Yeah, this is…this is…" He trailed off when he couldn't articulate.

"It gets better, hon," she continued. A smirk twisted her lips. "Yer out tomorrow."

"I'm…out?"

She put her hand on his shoulder, squeezed. "The doctors say there's nothing wrong with you enough to keep you here. You've hit a huge growth spurt is all, and you'll be achy and sore for a while. And you'll maybe experience some poor hand-eye coordination."

He licked his lips. "Growth spurt? How huge're we talkin'?"

"Six inches to be exact. Yer at six-foot, three inches now."

_Six inches?_ Holy shit. "Is that…is that okay?" His palms had gone clammy.

She smirked at him. "Lemme explain something. What happened is that yer an Inuzuka. We're able to summon up a blood-deep, instinctual part of ourselves to make us more powerful. _Normally_," she indulged in a sardonic snort, "we can't do that until we're fully grown. But since you were able to bring it up earlier than usual…it enabled you to grow. A lot."

Kiba groaned, dropping his head back. So that's what all his soreness was about. And worse…_none _of his clothes would fit. That meant a damn shopping trip with _Mom_.

She cackled. "I figured you could wear yer dad's clothes 'til you feel up to shopping," she said. "Anyway, when yer discharged, you can visit Ino and Akamaru. They're both recovering nicely, but won't be out for a while longer."

That was a relief, but he didn't know how to protect Ino from himself. He knew he needed to drive her away, but he couldn't see how he could do that to her _now_. What kind of an asshole would he be to suddenly, out of the blue, break up with her? Put into such blunt terms, ending the relationship with Ino sounded ridiculously easy. Guilt scratched at his insides.

"Kiba," Mom said, ducking her head down to press her forehead against his, "none of this was yer fault, and Ino won't blame you. So stop guilt-trippin' yerself."

She had it wrong. She thought he was in knots over Ino getting kidnapped and nearly blown to pieces. He should correct her. He should tell his mother that he was scared shitless of what he'd become recently- -some mindless, sex-crazed monster. Her light pecks on his cheeks bothered him, each peck pricking his conscience.

"Mom, can you do me a favor?" He continued when she straightened. "Is there anyway I could get a small box, something for keeping a little charm in?"

A corner of her mouth twitched. "A love-gift for Ino, you mean."

"I hate it when you predict me."

His pout made her laugh. "You make it so easy, son. But," she tapped her chin, "I think I can come up with what you want."

"Thanks." When she nodded, he glanced away and toyed with his blanket. "And Mom, I'm sorry for saying stupid shit to you. About Dad."

"Nah. I'm sorry for prying into yer personal life. You did what you had to, so I can't blame you for that."

They looked at each other- -had they seriously shared a normal-family moment? At the same time, they roared in laughter. Kiba had to press hands to his stomach to stave off a bout of rampant cramping. But it felt good. When their laughter died, Mom wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"Whew," she said, chuckling, "that was funny."

Afterwards, she stayed with him the rest of the day, bringing him lunch and dinner, and keeping him company through visits from Shino, Hinata, and Hana. When a medic came in to announce that visiting hours were over, Mom patted his hand.

She stooped over to kiss his both his cheeks. "Sleep tight, shorty. I'll be back tomorrow, bright'n'early."

"Yeah, okay." He watched her move to the door. "Hey, Mom?" She turned. "I love you."

Her face broke into a feral grin. "Love you too, son." Then she left, Kuromaru close on her heels.

Kiba sank back in bed. The room seemed vacant, darker now. Enclosed. He rubbed his eyes. Mom had not mentioned Ino or Akamaru after that initial conversation, but they'd been ghosting behind his thoughts the entire day. Without Mom and Kuromaru and the distraction of medics and visitors, the ghosts became living images: Akamaru, small and fluffy with floppy ears, as he burrowed beneath Kiba's jacket, close to his master's heart. Closest to his master.

Then Ino. He allowed a dream of her to assemble…her brilliant hair, those forever-blue eyes, the curvature of her hips…a weight dropped on his chest that wouldn't subside, and he knew on a subconscious level that this image of her would be the only thing left he had of her once he freed her. Once he forced her to escape from his fatal threat.

**- -N- -**

Under the fluorescent lights of the hospital, Kiba stood in front of the bathroom mirror. His image looked different. Old and tired. Slumped, yet taller. Broader. Messy hair. Getting dressed had been a slow affair. Mom had not been kidding when she warned him of continued soreness. He'd had to hitch up his pants and pull on his shirt in measured, steady movements, stopping frequently to rest.

True to her word, she'd arrived that morning with clothes. A shirt that had draped off him now fit snug across his shoulders. The black hoodie with the red Inuzuka clan symbol imprinted on the chest had been Dad's, as well as the pants, which were cinched with a belt; only his boots fit the same, since he always had big feet.

Mom knocked on the bathroom door. "You good to go? You need anything?"

Kiba slipped his hand into the hoodie's front pocket to thumb the tiny, carved case that contained Ino's earrings. The mirror reflected his gestures. "Naw. I'm good."

Mom continued as he opened the door. "All release papers are signed, and yer formally discharged. We'll pick up yer prescription painkillers at the pharmacy." Then she laughed when he bumped a shoulder into the doorframe and cursed colorfully. "Are you that anxious to stay, shorty? We haven't even gotten out of the damn room yet!"

"_Mom_!" Hissing breath through his teeth, he rubbed the spot. _Ouch_, it stung. It'd probably bruise, too.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it. Yer sister was the same way a few years back, remember?" Her good humor was infectious, and he smiled under her gaze

"Yeah, I remember. She'd trip over everything in the house." He groaned. "Is _that _what I have to look forward to?"

"Yep. It's a part of growin' up." Mom clucked him under his chin, her eyes softening. "If yer up to it, we'll get some lunch out."

When he looked across at her, her face and eyes were lower, and he couldn't get used to being so much taller than she. "Sounds good."

They left the room. He followed Mom; Kuromaru followed him. He walked a slow, shuffling walk that aggravated and tweaked his muscles. The hospital hallway was all straight lines and gleaming white. Medical staff turned corners, their lab jackets and scrubs rustling with their movements, and he could hear the heart monitors and breathing of the other patients. When they got to the stairs, Mom hesitated.

"Did you wanna visit Ino before we left?"

His whole body sparked. "_Yes_!" Then at his mother's raised eyebrows, "I mean, yeah, sure. That'd be cool."

The three of them took the stairs up a couple of levels, Kiba using the railing for support and feeling like a senior citizen on a rainy day, as he winced with each lift of his legs. He realized he'd already picked up Ino's sweet scent, but he hadn't consciously reactivated his nose. It was then he had alarming second thoughts. Hadn't he decided to stay away from her?

But he couldn't help quickening his pace, gritting his teeth through his body's rigid protests, Ino's gravity and presence towing him inexorably to her, and when he found her room, he paused at the door, unsure if he _should _see her. Considering…that _one _thing. A hand rested on his shoulder.

Mom had caught up with him. "Go in. We'll wait for you out here."

A second's pause- -Yer not chicken shit, he told himself- -before he entered. Morning sunlight slanted into the room onto Ino's form on the bed. The usual heart monitors and IV lines. Flowers, balloons, cards, and stuffed animals perched on open edges and tables. As he approached, he saw Ino'd been mummified. Gauze wrapped her up her throat, down her arms between her fingers, and he guessed all around her legs under that hospital blanket. Even her head had been wrapped. Only her eyes and mouth were uncovered.

Breathing deliberately, drawing all her scent through his nose into the back of his throat, _tasting_ her, Kiba went to stand at the bedside. She looked dead, but she was only asleep. Frail. Pale. A few strands of fair hair had escaped the confines of her bandages. And she was lovely. So precious. He wanted to crawl into the bed with her, curl her against him, and snuggle her close. Be her shield and sword.

But his heart…his heart felt heavy, loaded with stones, sinking into an abyss. He wanted to leave and never come back, never hurt her. He would break her. Leaning over, he brushed a kiss on her lips. She didn't stir.

When he met Mom in the hallway, a fresh strangling of guilt had roped around his throat and stomach and ribcage, squeezing, suffocating. He had to do what was necessary to protect her. He _would._ But how? He loved her. He loved her so much. His thumb rubbed the minute engravings of the earring case. What would he do?

"Everything okay?" Mom asked. She cradled his face in her hands. "Yer so sad."

He shrugged. Mom's contact made him feel sick. "She was sleeping, and I didn't want to wake her."

"I see. Well, you can visit her later," Mom said, dropping her hands as she stepped around him. "We have some errands to run, and then we'll get you home to rest."

He nodded, but his mind lingered on Ino. He would find a way to free her. He _would_ free her.

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**A/N:** I was so excited to get this out to you, dear readers, that there may be some minor edits in the future. And please, if you notice an inconsistency or error, don't hesitate to let me know. Once again, I appreciate all your patience! =)


	27. Fateful Choices

**A/N: **So, at last, a fresh chapter of "Catching". I'm sure all of you out there are thrilled, if not a little peeved, that I've updated after, what?, three months? And I apologize. I'm hoping to have the story finished within the two-year anniversary mark (yikes!), but again, I make no promises. Please enjoy. =)

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**Chapter XXVII: Fateful Choices**

"Kiba! What a pleasant surprise," Master Kurenai said when she opened the door to him. He'd stood outside that damn door for fifteen minutes, debating whether he should knock and the ease with which she'd greeted him put him off balance. "Please, come in. I hardly recognized you! You've gotten so tall!"

"Yeah…" Everyone who'd seen him this last week had said the exact same thing, and he was tired of explaining his sudden growth. Would she ask? "I know."

She turned aside. "Make yourself at home." Nothing further.

"Thank you, Master," Kiba said and stepped past her round belly to the foyer of her open apartment. The place was sparkling clean, even as she was eight months pregnant, and the warm colors and small, feminine touches drew his eye, making him feel, heh, like he was encroaching on her den. Nerves broke cold sweat out along his forehead. "I hope I'm not…interrupting or something."

She'd moved to the kitchen area and he saw her putting a tea kettle and cups on a tray. He shuffled over to the edge of the kitchen floor to stop her. "I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"Of course not," she told him, turning her crimson eyes on him. "When have you ever inconvenienced me?"

He couldn't answer her, so he followed her back into the living area like a puppy trailing after her ankles. She gestured to her overstuffed couch. His bones ached, his chest felt hollow, and he settled onto the cushions with a stiff slowness that belayed his youth. Too goddamned tired. The sigh escaped by accident as the cushions contoured to his tired body. Exhaustion put heavy weights on his eyelids. He closed his eyes, opened them slowly.

"Kiba? Is there…something wrong?" Master's dark hair curled over her shoulders when she leaned forward to hand him a cup of tea. Her intuition had always been on par with his instincts. "I get the feeling this visit is…out of the ordinary."

He accepted the tea, but put it on the table so he could rest his hands in the front pocket of his hoodie, fingers running over the tiny box with Ino's precious earrings. Nerves had clenched in his stomach, hard, and he didn't like the feeling of disgust rising in his throat. Disgust at himself for what he'd done. The memory was a canker in his mind. He looked over to Master, swallowing, and he took a deep breath through his nose. Her smooth scent, with the scent of the infant in her stomach, came into his head at full-force. She was serene; it was serenity he sought.

"Master, I came to you because I made an important decision. I needed someone neutral and honest and trustworthy to help," he said. Her eyes kept on him, and he fooled with the earring box. "Not even Akamaru knows I'm here right now."

Her dark brows crunched together. She leaned back in the armchair. "What's this about?"

"Ino'n'me."

A pause. "Isn't this something your mom or sister would be better able to help you with? I'm not sure that I'm the best-"

"Please, Master. Yer the only one who'll listen objectively."

After his interruption, she went silent and contemplative. He thought for a moment she would turn him away, but her face softened and she reached over her stomach for her tea that she'd inadvertently left on the table.

"All right, I'm listening."

Kiba swallowed back rising fear. On his way over, he'd promised himself he'd be blatantly honest and withhold nothing. But where to begin? There was so much, and what would Master think of it all? Unable to help it, he glanced to the side to locate the nearest exit. He feared the answer to his question, feared what he'd formed inside his mind about solving his problem. Master, across from him, waited patiently for him to say something.

"I'm…I'm not sure if you've heard anything, but Ino and I've started…seeing each other," he started, finally. "And this relationship is sorta…complex. I was dating this one girl, Yukari, but it ended up she was trying to…_catch_ me."

"Catch you? As in…catching-a-shinobi catch?" Her eyes had widened in shock.

"You've heard of that?"

"Yes. I thought the practice was…" she struggled for a word, "in disuse."

He shrugged. "Ino essentially saved me from being caught, but there was this Roach guy who worked for Yukari's mother and _they _tried to blackmail me into marrying Yukari." His heart pounded painfully against his ribs, an ache that was like a sharp needle breaking into his chest. "I…um…got a little too involved with Yukari at one point, and that's what I'm here to discuss."

"You're pale, Kiba. Are you all right?" Master used the arms of her chair to pull herself upright, and she stepped around the table to sit beside him on the couch. "This involvement with Yukari…was it…intimate?"

The burst of fresh anguish put pressure against his eyes; they stung. He nodded, fought the stinging, and he struggled to even his breathing and voice when he said, "I fell in love with Ino, Master. I would do anything to protect her. But what happened with Yukari…that might…that might happen again. Whatever's inside me," he touched his hand to his chest, "it'll break Ino if I let it. I have to protect Ino…and I can't tell her why."

Her hand rested on his shoulder to comfort him. There was naked understanding in her eyes. "Kiba. What's this decision you've made?"

A knot in his throat made it difficult to swallow. "I've…gotta break up with Ino." He had thought about it every goddamn waking hour, and even those hours when sleep was a vague idea. "Master, I have to stay away from her. But how? How do I get her to…understand without revealing everything?"

Her lip curled in a small smile. "Ino is very stubborn. Is she…does she love you?"

"The whole reason I'm not caught already is because Ino loved me enough to protect me," he answered. The livid blood seeping out of her open wounds was her proof. "She'll fight me for answers."

"Yes, I can see her fighting you if you approach her aggressively. She'll want to understand why, but it's _why _that you can't tell her. You do have a dilemma here." Master lifted her hand to her mouth and her eyes shifted as she thought for a moment. She made a sound at the back of her throat that indicated she'd come to some conclusion.

Kiba leaned forward. "What is it, Master?"

She looked at him, really looked. He knew she was searching for answers. "Kiba…are you _sure _this is the correct course of action?"

"Please. Tell me what you know."

Hesitantly, Master Kurenai continued. "You'll have to use her love against her. Tell her she loved you enough to make sacrifices, and you love her enough to do the same. You love her enough to keep away from her because you might hurt her. If she loves you," and here, Master frowned, "she'll respect your decision."

That just might work. "I know you don't like this, but thank you anyway."

"May I speak frankly?" she asked, drawing her hand down from his shoulder to a rest on his forearm. "I have a point for you to consider."

He acquiesced with a nod and she continued. "Can't you trust Ino to make her own decision regarding the intimacy you shared with Yukari? Won't she love you enough to forgive you for it?"

"That's the problem," he answered. A weak smirk found its way to the corner of his mouth. "Her love is blind. I'm not the type to walk all over a girl 'cause she doesn't see the same flaws I do."

"You're being too hard on yourself. You're not going to continually cheat on Ino because of one instance."

"I deserve punishment."

Her grip on his arm tightened. "Certainly not a lifetime of misery?"

"An eternity wouldn't be enough," he murmured, looking at her slender fingers and wrist on his forearm. The fingers and wrist that had helped him so many times he couldn't even count them all. He put his hand on hers, squeezed gently. "I should be going."

"Better sooner than later?" she asked as he shifted to his feet. She seemed so able to predict him. "You always were entirely too impatient and reckless for your own good."

He didn't look at her, too chicken shit to see what emotion her eyes held. "Yeah. That's me." He'd reached the door and rested a hand on the handle, staring at the polished and shiny brass. "Goodbye, Master, and thanks."

Outside he went, shutting the door behind him quietly. The sun was too hot and stark as he ambled into the sparsely populated avenue to make his way to wherever Akamaru was. His plan was a simple one, and if he showed one molecule of weakness, it would fail. He had to steel himself against everything, had to fortify his defenses for attacks from both Akamaru and Ino. Only complete calm and finality would repel them and cement his will. He paced his breathing and tried to loosen his tense muscles, but he knew too well he was teetering on the edge of committing the emotional equivalent of seppuku.

The feeling was like looking over a cliff. Jumping off was his single salvation, but he didn't want to do it.

His family's compound was quiet in the heat and Kiba found Akamaru inside the house, relaxing in the air conditioning. Mom was sitting at the kitchen table with a few scrolls opened; Kuromaru was at her feet.

"Where've you been?" she asked when he came to the kitchen. The question was friendly. "First time in awhile you've out and about."

"I'm taking Akamaru for a walk. I'll be back in a little bit," he said as he waved at Akamaru to come.

Her eyes flicked to him. "Yer up to somethin', aren't you?"

He froze. Her smirk told him she was teasing, but the tease touched too close to home and set his heart to racing. The smirk dropped into a frown, and she half-rose from her seat. "Son? What's the matter?"

She could not know what he decided because she'd stop him from following through. The same held true for all the dogs and for Hana. He averted his gaze, turning from Mom. Akamaru had gotten up and stood by Kiba's side expectantly.

"We're going," Kiba said to Mom over his shoulder. "I'm fine."

He and Akamaru left. Kiba expected Mom to come after him, yank him around, and demand answers, but they exited the house and walked down the yard to the sidewalk without her stopping them. It was a relief that he didn't have to face his mother and lie to her. They walked along in silence for a bit, Akamaru keeping at his hip at an easy trot.

_You wanna tell me what we're doing out here?_ Akamaru whined. _You're kinda acting funny._

Kiba licked dry lips. "We're visiting Ino, but I'm not sure if she's at home. We'll hit the shop first."

Akamaru accepted his answer and before long, they rounded the corner to the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. Visiting the shop was going to be touchy, since Kiba knew Inoichi had the capacity to view what was inside Kiba's head. He would have to trust that Inoichi would respect his headspace and leave him alone, even if Inoichi detected Kiba's roiling emotions. At least, that was what Kiba _hoped_, especially since Inoichi was the fastest way of finding out where Ino was.

The familiar bells jangled with their entry, and as Kiba congratulated himself for not pausing too long, Inoichi looked up from a few papers he had spread on the check-out counter. He smiled, warmly, but Kiba didn't have the strength to return the gesture. Kiba was about to ruin his daughter's life, or at the very least, make her miserable beyond compare.

"You're looking well, Kiba," Inoichi said. "If you're searching for Ino, she's at the greenhouse down the street a few blocks."

Kiba nodded. "Thanks."

"I won't hold you then," Inoichi said, returning his gaze to the paperwork and allowing Kiba to leave the shop without answering uncomfortable questions.

Along the way to the greenhouse, Kiba discovered he'd become hyperaware of his surroundings. The sense of immediate danger pumped adrenaline into his bloodstream, so each buzzing insect, each breeze that swept hot air over them, the stir of scents around him, all burned information into his brain. Sweat broke out when his nose and glands picked up Ino's scent. A drop ran into his eye and stung, and when Akamaru turned to face him, Kiba realized he'd stopped in his tracks.

Akamaru's ears popped. _You coming? And are you sure you're feeling okay? Your scent's all…weird._

"I'm fine. Keep going."

_Are you sure? I mean you're-_

"I said I'm fine." Kiba walked past Akamaru, determined to avoid delay. "C'mon."

The greenhouse was a larger building than what Kiba thought a small flower shop like the Yamanakas owned would be. It was about two stories, completely glass and on the inside, he saw brilliant smears of color, like looking at a painting of a flower garden, pinks, purples, blues, whites, yellows, reds…and every other color in between. The door to the place was around a corner, and when he entered, the temperature increased about ten or fifteen degrees. Vents hummed loudly overhead, but the movement of air was minimal, giving a claustrophobic feel inside, and Kiba's senses soon became overwhelmed with the sweet and fresh smells of the flowers.

Ino's scent came through the flower-smell loud and clear, a beacon for him to follow, so he wound through the tables covered with multicolor flats of flowers, back, back, where he found her hunched over some tiny, tender shoots sprouting from pans of dark soil. He didn't think it was possible for his whole entity to stop, but everything did and watched with held breath.

Grow lights buzzed over the tables, and he noticed that Ino's hair, which had once been a streaming river of pale blonde down her back, was…abbreviated a few inches above her shoulders. Realization came with memory- -fire from the explosion could have ruined her hair and so it must've been necessary for her to cut it short. He hadn't seen her for so long, and his heart was flip-flopping all over inside his chest, and he had a sudden, unexplained need to cry.

Oh, God. He couldn't do this. He couldn't do this. Shuffling backwards a few steps, Kiba swallowed hard around the knot in his throat. All sirens sounded a retreat.

But Ino must've felt his eyes on her because she straightened and looked over her shoulder, and he was caught in their blue. She saw him standing there, her eyes widened, and then she smiled such a smile that about crumbled him. Barely, he withstood the beautiful relief of that smile, but took another hit when she rushed around corners of tables and flung herself into his arms. She squeezed; his insides lurched, gabbled in fear, but underneath all that was a settled contentment that everything felt right with her in his arms. She lifted her face and automatically, he leaned to kiss her. Their kiss said it all: I missed you and I love you.

Then he realized he was kissing her goodbye, so he pulled back, unable to continue the embrace. "Your hair…" he said before he could stop himself. He ran his fingers through the pale locks, testing the feel.

She nuzzled her face into his chest. "It was the fire. And you…you're sexier than ever." Then, inhaling deeply, she added, "And you smell good."

The blatant honesty her statement held roused a chuckle from him and he stroked her back. After a few moments of them standing there holding each other, Kiba admitted he was stalling. Mainly, he didn't know how to start and he was too scared to just step off into the void. Each time he peered over the edge of that cliff he had to jump over, he felt sick and dizzy that he couldn't see the bottom. He needed a running jump, but what words would get him started?

Ino lifted her head and pulled back slightly, confused. "What's wrong?"

Damn. She'd sensed it inside him and there was no turning from it. He looked at her for a long, long time, memorizing her smooth features and blue eyes, the tilt of her head and the curve of her jaw, shoring up her image in his brain so he could take it out and run his mind over it in the darkness that would soon come. His love for her was a universe inside him that she inhabited; there was no end or beginning to that love, but it had a horrible weight, something that pressed up hard against him, unrelenting, unforgiving, unavoidable. He couldn't wait any longer; the time was _now _whether he was ready or not_._

The heavy universe of his love shoved him toward the cliff edge. He said, "Ino…I…have something I want to tell you, but you have to promise me you'll listen and not argue with me."

Her fine brows came together. "What're you talking about?"

"Promise you'll listen, first. On the Hero Stone."

She looked hesitant, but she nodded. "I promise on the Hero Stone that I'll listen and _try _not to argue."

He couldn't laugh; it would undo his efforts, so he took a big breath to sustain him. "Ino, I love you, only you. And when you love someone, you want to protect them as best as possible. You above anyone know this." His words to her were soft, gentle. The words were affecting her. He could tell she was trying to get angry, to strengthen herself for what she must have known was coming, but nothing he told her deserved anger. He moved his hands from her back to frame her pretty face to prevent her eyes from wandering and to keep her facing his truth. "You did what you had to when you protected me from Yukari. Now I have to do the same thing. I have to protect you, no matter the cost."

Those blue eyes were glassy because she must've felt the very real fear of unavoidable catastrophe. "What're…" she swallowed thickly, "what are you trying to protect me from?"

He blinked slowly and sighed. "Something happened to me. Something…awful. I found a…a darkness inside me, an…a creature that I can't really control." A tear trickled over her cheek that he brushed away. Stubbornly he continued his attempt to explain. "That creature…the darkness or whatever…it could hurt you. Maybe even kill you. And knowing that, I can't allow it to touch you. I can't."

More tears flowed over her cheeks and she gasped for air, a sound like she was drowning. "What're…why? I don't…?" Her color had become ruddy, blotchy.

_Kiba…what the hell're you doing?_ Akamaru interrupted.

"I know this hurts you," he continued to Ino over Akamaru's question, "but I'd rather you hurt than dead. Don't come near me anymore, Ino." He rested his forehead against hers for a moment, culling up more courage. "And I'm giving you Akamaru."

Akamaru woofed in spasms. _WHAT?_ _Are you NUTS?_

"N-no," Ino said, whimpered, as she tried shaking free from his grip, "You-you can't."

"Akamaru will be loyal to you. He'll be more protection against me, and whatever else is out there," Kiba continued over Akamaru's outrage and her weak protests. "You'll learn to understand him. I'll send over his stuff a little later. Take good care of him."

_No, NO. I refuse!_ Akamaru snarled. _You're wrong about this and you should tell Ino the truth!_

Before Kiba could fend him off, sharp teeth sank into the flesh of Kiba's arm, paired with a flood of agony. He'd kept a tenuous hold on his temper and patience, trying to avoid violence, but Akamaru's attack broke that grip and freed the primitive animal simmering under the surface. It was a relief from the rising agony of self-destruction. Chakra hummed inside him and Kiba felt that chilled presence take over his mind with terrifying ease. Emotions withered and died, replaced with a numb void. Coolly, Kiba shoved his arm further into his companion's maw, forcing the jaw to stretch open to cause the companion pain enough to release Kiba's arm.

A patch of Akamaru's fur faded from white to red and the red spot spread over the glossy coat, seeping like blood. His body hugged the floor, weight forward on his front paws, lips peeled back in a mean snarl. A deep growl rumbled in Kiba's body- -a warning off- -but the companion disregarded the warning and pounced. The companion's aggressive dominance was not acceptable. Kiba strafed at the last possible moment. The companion's weight carried him forward, and he crashed into tables, lamps, and floor, leaving a mass of destruction. Before the companion could recover, Kiba leapt forward to exact punishment, but the mate's arms locked around his waist, and he stilled immediately.

"Stop it!" she said. The salty smell of tears crept underneath the cold, unfeeling animal. "I don't want you fighting."

His hesitance allowed time for the companion to regain his feet. Kiba watched, angered with the companion's noncompliance, ready and willing to use pain to punish- -and if pain wouldn't work, then death. The companion turned, snarling, but as Kiba stared him down, Akamaru's aggressive energy faded, along with the red in his coat, until he submitted to Kiba with a whimper. It was finished.

Finished. Go. The thought came in a short burst. Leave now.

As Akamaru huddled near the wall, his tail between his legs, Kiba unhooked Ino's arms from around his waist and without facing her, he walked to the front of the greenhouse to leave. Everything was at a distance, beyond arm's reach, but not for long. The cold anger had frayed at the edges. He needed to get away before his damn emotions caught up with him and overwhelmed him.

Keep breathing. Keep moving.

He'd murdered his burgeoning connection with Ino, had destroyed himself in the process, and his heart hadn't yet accepted the fact. It was like he couldn't believe what he'd done. Shock, he supposed.

Shock did not stop Akamaru's whines and Ino's grief-stricken sobbing from following him. He knew that those sounds, begging him to turn and take back what he'd done, would haunt him.

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**A/N:** I erred on the side of completion, rather than quality. Expect lite revisions and edits as I agonize over the chapter. =)


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